Letters
To
Severall Persons
Of Honour:
Written By
John Donne
Sometime Deane of
St Pauls London. Published by John Donne Dr. of
the Civill Law. London,
Printed by J. Flesher, and are to be sold by John
Sweeting, at the Angel in Popeshead-Alley.
1654.
To the most virtuous
and excellent Lady Mris.
Bridget Dunch. Madam, ITIt is an argument
of the Immorta-
lity of the Soul,
that it can appre-
hend, and imbrace
such a Concepti-
on; and, it may be some kinde of
Prophecy, of the continuance, and
The Epistle
lasting of these Letters, that ha-
ving been scattered, more then Sibyls
leaves, I cannot say into parts, but
corners of the World, they have re-
collected and united themselves,
meeting at once, as it were, at the
same spring, from whence they flow-
ed, but by Succession. But, the piety of ÆneasAeneas to An-
chises, with the heat, and fervour of
his zeale, had been dazelled, and
extinguished by the fire of Troy, and
his Father become his Tombe, had
not a brighter flame appeared in his
Protection, and Venus herself de-
scended with her embraces, to pro-
tect her Martiall Champion; so
that there is no safer way, to give a
perpetuity to this remnant of the
Dedicatory.
dead Authour; but, by dedicating it
to the Altar of Beauty and perfecti-
on; and if you, Madam, be but
pleased to shed on it, one beame of
your Grace and Favour, that very
Adumbration will quicken it with a
new Spirit, and defend it from all fire,
(the fate of most Letters) but the
last; which, turning these into ashes,
shall revive the Authour from his
Vrne, and put him into a capacity
of celebrating you, his Guardian
Angell, who has protected that part
of his Soul, that he left behinde him,
his Fame and Reputation. The courtesies that you conferre
upon the living, may admit of some
allay, by a possibility of a Retalia-
tion; but what you bestow upon the
The Epistle &c.
Dead, is a Sacrifice to pure Virtue;
an ungifted Deity, tis true, without
Oblation, Altar, or Temple, if
she were not enshrined in your noble
brest, but, I must, forever, become
her votary, if it be, but for giving
me this Inclination, and desire of be-
ing Madam Your most humble servant
Jo. Donne.
1 A Collection
of Letters written to severall
Persons of Honour. To the worthiest Lady Mrs. Bridget White. Madame, II Couldcould make some guesse whe-
ther souls that go to heaven,
retain any memory of us
that stay behinde, if I knew
whether you ever thought of
us, since you enjoyed your heaven, which
is your self, at home. Your going away hath
made London a dead carkasse. A Tearm, and
a Court do a little spice and embalme it,
and keep it from putrefaction, but the soul
went away in you: and I think the onely
reason why the plague is somewhat slack-
ned, is, because the place is dead already, and
2Letters to severall
and no body left worth the killing. Where-
soever you are, there is London enough: and
it is a diminishing of you to say so, since
you are more then the rest of the world.
When you have a desire to work a miracle,
you will return hither, and raise the place
from the dead, and the dead that are in it;
of which I am one, but that a hope that I
have a room in your favour keeps me alive;
which you shall abundantly confirme to
me, if by one letter you tell me, that you
have received my six; for now my letters
are grown to that bulk, that I may divide
them like Amadis the Gaules book, and tell
you, that this is the first letter of the second
part of the first book.
Strand S. Peters
day at nine.
Your humblest, and affectionate
servant J. D. To
Persons of Honour.3 To the worthiest Lady Mrs. B. W. Madame, II Thinkthink the letters which I send to you
single lose themselves by the way for
want of a guide, or faint for want of com-
pany. Now, that on your part there be no
excuse, after three single letters, I send three
together, that every one of them may have
two witnesses of their delivery. They come
also to waite upon another letter from Sr E.
Herbert, of whose recovery from a Fever,
you may apprehend a perfecter content-
ment then we, because you had none of
the former sorrow. I am an Heretique if
it be sound Doctrine, that pleasure tasts
best after sorrow. For my part, I can love
health well enough, though I be never sick;
and I never needed my Mistris frowns and
disfavours, to make her favours acceptable
to me. In States, it is a weakness to stand
upon a defensive war, and safer not to be
invaded, then to have overcome: so in our
souls health, an innocence is better then the hearti-
4Letters to severall
heartiest repentance. And in the pleasures of
this life, it is better that the variety of the
pleasures give us the taste and appetite to
it, then a sowre and sad interruption quic-
ken our stomack; for then we live by Phy-
sick. I wish therefore all your happinesses
such as this intire, and without flaw, or
spot of discontentment; and such is the love
and service of
Strand S. Peters-
day at 4.
Your humblest, and affectionatest-
servant J. D. To the same. Madame, THisThis letter which I send enclosed hath
been yours many moneths, and hath
languished upon my table for a passage so
long, that as others send news in their let-
ters, I send an antiquity in mine. I durst
not tear it, after it was yours: there is some
sacriledge in defacing any thing consecrated
to you, and some impiety to despaire that
any thing devoted to you should not be re-
served
Persons of Honour.5 served to a good issue. I remember I should
have sent it by a servant, of whose diligence
I see I was too confident. I know not
what it says: but I dare make this letter no
longer, because being very sure that I al-
ways think the same thoughts of you, I am
afraid I should fall upon the same words,
and so send one letter twice together. Novemb. 8.
Your very affectionate
servant J. D. To the Honourable Lady Mrs. B. W. Madame, II Havehave but small comfort in this letter;
the messenger comes too easily to me,
and I am too sure that the letter shall be de-
livered. All adventures towards you should
be of more difficulty and hazard. But per-
chance I need not lament this; it may be so
many of my letters are lost already that it is
time that one should come, like Jobs ser-
vant, to bring word, that the rest were lost.
If you have had more before, this comes to aske
6Letters to severall
aske how they were received; and if you
have had none, it comes to try how they
should have been received. It comes to you
like a bashfull servant, who though he have
an extreme desire to put himself in your
presence, yet hath not much to say when he
is come: yet hath it as much to say as
you can think; because what degrees so-
ever of honour, respect, and devotion, you
can imagine or beleeve to be in any, this
letter tells you, that all those are in me to-
wards you. So that for this letter you are my
Secretary; for your worthiness, and your
opinion that I have a just estimation of
them, write it: so that it is as long, and as
good, as you think it; and nothing is left
to me, but as a witness, to subscribe the
name of Your most humble servant
J. D.
Though this letter be yours, it will not mis-
become or disproportion it that I mention your
Noble brother, who is gone to Cleave, not to re-
turn till towards Christmas, except the business
deserve him not so long. To
Persons of Honour.7 To the Honourable L. the Lady Kingsmel upon
the death of her Husband. Madame, THoseThose things which God dissolves at
once, as he shall do the Sun, and
Moon, and those bodies at the last confla-
gration, he never intends to reunite again;
but in those things, which he takes in
pieces, as he doth man, and wife, in these
divorces, by death, and in single persons,
by the divorce of body and soul, God hath
another purpose to make them up again.
That piece which he takes to himself, is pre-
sently cast in a mould, and in an instant
made fit for his use; for heaven is not a
place of a proficiency, but of present per-
fection. That piece which he leaves behinde
in this world, by the death of a part thereof,
growes fitter and fitter for him, by the
good use of his corrections, and the intire
conformity to his will. Nothing dispropor-
tions us, nor makes us so uncapable of be-
ing reunited to those whom we loved here, as
8Letters to severall
as murmuring, or not advancing the good-
ness of him, who hath removed them from
hence. We would wonder, to see a man,
who in a wood were left to his liberty, to
fell what trees he would, take onely the
crooked, and leave the streightest trees; but
that man hath perchance a ship to build,
and not a house, and so hath use of that
kinde of timber: let not us, who know
that in Gods house there are many Mansi-
ons, but yet have no modell, no designe of
the forme of that building, wonder at his
taking in of his materialls, why he takes
the young, and leaves the old, or why the
sickly overlive those, that had better health.
We are not bound to think that souls de-
parted, have devested all affections towards
them, whom they left here; but we are
bound to think, that for all their loves they
would not be here again: Then is the will
of God done in Earth, as it is in Heaven,
when we neither pretermit his actions, nor
resist them; neither pass them over in an
inconsideration, as though God had no hand
Persons of Honour.9
hand in them, nor go about to take them
out of his hands, as though we could direct
him to do them better. As Gods Scriptures
are his will, so his actions are his will;
both are Testaments, because they testifie
his minde to us. It is not lawfull to adde a
scedule to either of his wills: as they do
ill, who adde to his written will, the Scri-
ptures, a scedule of Apcryphall books: so
do they also, who to his other will, his ma-
nifested actions, adde Apocryphall condi-
tions, and a scedule of such limitations as
these, If God would have stayed thus long,
or, If God would have proceeded in this or
this manner, I could have born it. To
say that our afflictions are greater then we
can bear, is so near to despairing, as that the
same words express both; for when we
consider Caines words in that originall
tongue in which God spake, we cannot tell
whether the words be, My punishment is
greater then can be born; or, My sin is grea-
ter then can be forgiven. But Madame, you
who willingly sacrificed your self to God, in
10Letters to severall
in your obedience to him, in your own
sickness, cannot be doubted to dispute with
him, about any part of you, which he shall
be pleased to require at your hands. The dif-
ference is great in the loss, of an arme, or a
head; of a child, or a husband: but to them,
who are incorporated into Christ, their
head, there can be no beheading; upon
you, who are a member of the spouse of
Christ the Church, there can fall no wi-
dowhead, nor orphanage upon those chil-
dren, to whom God is father. I have not
another office by your husbands death;
for I was your Chaplaine before, in my
daily prayers; but I shall inlarge that office
with other Collects, then before, that God
will continue to you, that peace which you
have ever had in him, and send you quiet,
and peaceable dispositions in all them with
whom you shall have any thing to do, in
your temporall estate and matters of this
world. Amen. At my poor house at S.
Pauls. 26. Octob.
1624.
Your Ladiships very humble and
thankfull servant in Christ
Jesus J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.11 To my honoured friend S: T. Lucey. SIR, II Makemake account that this writing of letters,
when it is with any seriousness, is a kind
of extasie, and a departure and secession and
suspension of the soul, wch doth then cōmu-
nicate it self to two bodies: And as I would
every day provide for my souls last convoy,
though I know not when I shall die, and
perchance I shall never die; so for these
extasies in letters, I oftentimes deliver my
self over in writing when I know not
when those letters shall be sent to you,
and many times they never are, for I have a
little satisfaction in seeing a letter written
to you upon my table, though I meet no
opportunity of sending it. Especially this
summer, when either by my early retiring
home, or your irresolutions of your own
purposes, or some other possessions of yours
you did lesse reveale to me your progresses,
and stations, and where I might crosse you
by letters, then heretofore: I make shift to
12Letters to severall
to lay little fault upon you, because my par-
don might be easier, if I transgress into a
longer and busier letter then your Countrey
sports admit; but you may read it in winter:
And by that time I may more clearly ex-
press my self for those things which have
entred into me, concerning your soul: for
as the greatest advantage which mans soul is
thought to have beyond others, is that which
they call Actum reflexum, and iteratum, (for
Beasts do the same things as we do, but they
do not consider nor remember the circum-
stances and inducements; and by what
power, and faculty, it is that they do them)
so of those which they call Actum reflexum
the noblest is that which reflects upon the
soul it self, and considers and meditates it,
Into which consideration when I walke
after my slow and unperfect pace, I begin
to think that as litigious men tyred with
suits, admit any arbitrement; and Princes
travailed with long and wastfull war, de-
scend to such conditions of peace, as they
are soon after ashamed to have embraced: so
Persons of Honour.13
so Philosophers, and so all sects of Chri-
stians, after long disputations and contro-
versies, have allowed many things for po-
sitive and dogmaticall truths which are not
worthy of that dignity; And so many
doctrines have grown to be the ordinary
diet and food of our spirits, and have place
in the pap of Catechismes, which were ad-
mitted but as Physick in that present di-
stemper, or accepted in a lazie weariness,
when men, so they might have something
to relie upon, and to excuse themselves
from more painfull inquisition, never exa-
mined what that was. To which indisposi-
tion of ours, the Casuists are so indulgent,
as that they allow a conscience to adhere to
any probable opinion against a more pro-
bable, and do never binde him to seek out
which is the more probable, but give him
leave to dissemble it and to depart from
it, if by mischance he come to know it.
This, as it appears in all sciences, so most
manifestly in Physick, which for a long
time considering nothing, but plain curing and
14Letters to severall
and that but by example and precedent,
the world at last longed for some certain
Canons and Rules, how these cures
might be accomplished; And when men
are inflamed with this desire, and that such
a fire breaks out that rages and consumes in-
finitly by heat of argument, except some of
authority interpose. This produced Hippo-
crates his Aphorismes; and the world
slumbred or took breath, in his resolution
divers hundreds of years: And then in
Galens time, which was not satisfied with
the effect of curing, not with the know-
ledge how to cure, broke out another de-
sire of finding out the causes why those
simples wrought those effects. Then Galen
rather to stay their stomachs then that he
gave them enough, taught them the quali-
ties of the four Elements, and arrested them
upon this, that all differences of qualities
proceeded from them. And after, (not
much before our time) men perceiving that
all effects in Physick could not be derived
form these beggerly and impotent proper-
ties
Persons of Honour.15 ties of the Elements, and that therefore they
were driven often to that miserable refuge
of specifique form, and of antipathy and
sympathy; we see the world hath turned
upon new principles which are attributed
to Paracelsus, but (indeed) too much to his
honour. Certainly it is also so in the Phy-
sick of our soul Divinity, for in the Primi-
tive Church, when amongst the Fathers
there were so divers opinions of the state
of the soul, presently after this life, they easi-
ly inclined to be content to do as much for
them dead as when they were alive, and so
concurred in a charitable disposition to
pray for them; which manner of prayer
then in use, no Christian Church at this
day having received better light, will al-
low of. So also when in the beginning of
S. Augustines time, Grace had been so much
advanced that mans Nature was scarce ad-
mitted to be so much as any means or in-
strument (not onely no kinde of cause) of
his own good works: And soon after in S.
Augustines time also mans free will (by fierce opposi-
16Letters to severall
opposition and arguing against the former
error) was too much overvalued, and ad-
mitted into too near degrees of fellowship
with Grace; those times admitted a
doctrine and form of reconciliation, which
though for reverence to the time, both the
Dominicans, and Jesuits at this day in their
great quarrell about Grace and Free will
would yet seem to maintaine, yet indiffe-
rent and dispassioned men of that Church
see there is no possibility in it, and therefore
accuse it of absurdity and almost of heresie.
I think it falls out thus also in the matter of
the soul: for Christian Religion presu-
ming a soul, and intending principally her
happiness in the life to come, hath been
content to accept any way which hath been
obtruded; how this soul is begun in us.
Hence it is that whole Christian Churches
arest themselves upon propagation from pa-
rents; and other whole Christian Churches
allow onely infusion from God. In both
which opinions there appear such infirmi-
ties as it is time to look for a better: for who-
Persons of Honour.17
whosoever will adhere to the way of pro-
pagation, can never evict necessarily and
certainly a naturall immortality in the soul,
if the soul result out of matter, nor shall he
ever prove that all mankind hath any more
then one soul: as certainly of all beasts, if
they receive such souls as they have from
their parents, every species can have but one
soul. And they which follow the opinion
of infusion from God, and of a new creation
(which is now the more common opinion)
as they can very hardly defend the doctrin of
original sin (the soul is forced to take this in-
fection, and comes not into the body of her
own disposition) so shall they never be
able to prove that all those whom we see in
the shape of men have an immortall and
reasonable soul, because our parents are as
able as any other species is to give us a soul
of growth and of sense, and to perform all
vitall and animall functions. And so with-
out infusion of such a soul may produce a
creature as wise and well disposed as any
horse or Elephant, of which degree many whom
18Letters to severall
whom we see come far short; nor hath
God bound or declared himself that he will
always create a soul for every embryon, there
is yet therefore no opinion in Philosophy,
nor Divinity, so well established as con-
strains us to beleeve, both that the soul is
immortall, and that every particular man
hath such a soul: which since out of the
great mercy of our God we do constantly
beleeve, I am ashamed that we do not also
know it by searching farther: But as some-
times we had rather beleeve a Travellers lie
then go to disprove him; so men rather
cleave to these ways then seek new: yet be-
cause I have meditated therein, I will shortly
aquaint you with what I think; for I would
not be in danger of that law of Moses, That
if a man dig a pit, and cover it not, he must
recompense those which are damnified by
it: which is often interpreted of such as
shake old opinions, and do not establish
new as certain, but leave consciences in a
worse danger then they found them in. I
beleeve that law of Moses hath in it some mysterie
Persons of Honour.19
mysterie and appliablenesse; for by that law
men are onely then bound to that indem-
nity and compensation, if an Oxe or an
Asse (that is, such as are of a strong consti-
tution and accustomed to labour) fall there-
in; but it is not said so, if a Sheep or a
Goat fall: no more are we, if men in a
sillinesse or wantonnesse will stumble or
take a scandall, bound to rectifie them at
all times. And therefore because I justly
presume you strong and watchfull enough,
I make account that I am not obnoxious to
that law, since my meditations are neither
too wide nor too deep for you, except onely
that my way of expressing them may be
extended beyond your patience and pardon,
which I will therefore tempt no longer at
this time. From Micham, my
close prison ever
since I saw you,
9 Octob.
Your very affectionate friend
and servant and lover
I. Donne To
20Letters to severall To the Noblest Knight Sr. Edward Herbert L. of
Cherbury; sent to him with his
Book Biathanatos. SIR, II Makemake accompt that this book hath e-
nough performed that which it under-
took, both by argument and example. It
shall therefore the lesse need to be it self a-
nother example of the Doctrine. It shall
not therefore kill it self; that is, not bury
it self; for if it should do so, those reasons,
by which that act should be defended or
excused, were also lost with it. Since it is con-
tent to live,it cannot chuse a wholsomeraire
then your Library, where Authors of all
complexions are presented. If any of them
grudge this book a room, and suspect it of
new or dangerous doctrine, you who
know us all, can best moderate. To those
reasons which I know your love to me will
make in my favour and discharge, you may
adde this, that though this doctrine hath
not been taught nor defended by writers, yet
Persons of Honour.21
yet they, most of any sort of men in the
world, have practised it. Your very true and earnest friend
and servant and lover
J. Donne. To Sr Robert Carre now Earle of Ankerum, with my
book Biathanatos at my going into Germany. SIR, II Hadhad need do somewhat towards you
above my promises; How weak are my
performances, when even my promises are
defective? I cannot promise, no not in
mine own hopes, equally to your merit to-
wards me. But besides the Poems, of
which you took a promise, I send you ano-
ther Book to which there belongs this
History. It was written by me many years
since; and because it is upon a misinter-
pretable subject, I have always gone so near
suppressing it, as that it is onely not burnt:
no hand hath passed upon it to copy it, nor
many eyes to read it: onely to some parti-
cular friends in both Universities, then
when I writ it, I did communicate it: And I
22Letters to severall
I remember, I had this answer, That cer-
tainly, there was a false thread in it, but not
easily found: Keep it, I pray, with the same
jealousie; let any that your discretion ad-
mits to the sight of it, know the date of it;
and that it is a Book written by Jack Donne,
and not by D. Donne: Reserve it for me, if
I live, and if I die, I only forbid it the Presse,
and the Fire: publish it not, but yet burn it
not; and between those, do what you will
with it. Love me still, thus farre, for your
own sake, that when you withdraw your
love from me, you will finde so many un-
worthinesses in me, as you grow ashamed
of having had so long, and so much, such a
thing as Your poor servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To the Countesse of Bedford. Madam, AMongstAmongst many other dignities which
this letter hath by being received and
seen by you, it is not the least, that it was pro
Persons of Honour.23
prophesied of before it was born: for your
brother told you in his letter, that I had
written: he did me much honour both in
advancing my truth so farre as to call a pro-
mise an act already done; and to provide
me a means of doing him a service in this
act, which is but doing right to my self:
for by this performance of mine own
word, I have also justified that part of his
Letter which concerned me; and it had
been a double guiltinesse in me, to have
made him guilty towards you. It makes no
difference that this came not the same day,
nor bears the same date as his; for though
in inheritances and worldly possessions we
consider the dates of Evidences, yet in Let-
ters, by which we deliver over our affecti-
ons, and assurances of friendship, and the
best faculties of our souls, times and daies
cannot have interest, nor be considerable,
because that which passes by them, is eter-
nall, and out of the measure of time. Be-
cause therefore it is the office of this Letter,
to convey my best wishes, and all the effects of
24Letters to severall
of a noble love unto you, (which are the
best fruits that so poor a soil, as my poor
soul is, can produce) you may be pleased to
allow the Letter thus much of the souls
privilege, as to exempt it from straitnesse
of hours, or any measure of times, and so
beleeve it came then. And for my part, I
shall make it so like my soul, that as that
affection, of which it is the messenger, be-
gun in me without my knowing when,
any more then I know when my soul be-
gan; so it shall continue as long as that. Your most affectionate friend and servant
J. D. To the right honourable the Countess of Montgomery. Madam, OFOf my ability to doe your Ladiship
service, any thing may be an em-
bleme good enough; for as a word vani-
sheth, so doth any power in me to serve
you; things that are written are fitter testi-
monies, because they remain and are per- manent:
Persons of Honour.25 manent: in writing this Sermon which
your Ladiship was pleased to hear before, I
confesse I satisfie an ambition of mine
own, but it is the ambition of obeying your
commandment, not onely an ambition of
leaving my name in the memory, or in the
Cabinet: and yet, since I am going out of
the Kingdom, and perchance out of the
world, (when God shall have given my
soul a place in heaven) it shall the lesse di-
minish your Ladiship, if my poor name be
found about you. I know what dead car-
kasses things written are, in respect of things
spoken. But in things of this kinde, that
soul that inanimates them, receives debts
from them: The Spirit of God that di-
ctates them in the speaker or writer, and is
present in his tongue or hand, meets him-
self again (as we meet our selves in a glass)
in the eies and hearts of the hearers and
readers: and that Spirit, which is ever the
same to an equall devotion, makes a wri-
ting and a speaking equall means to edifi-
cation. In one circumstance, my preaching and
26Letters to severall
and my writing this Sermon is too equall:
that that your Ladiship heard in a hoarse
voyce then, you read in a course hand now:
but in thankfulnesse I shall lift up my hands
as clean as my infirmities can keep them,
and a voyce as clear as his spirit shall
be pleased to tune in my prayers in all places
of the world, which shall either sustain or
bury Your Ladiships humble servant
in Christ Jesus
J.D. To Sir H.R. IFIf a whole year be but Annus ab Annulo,
because it returnes into it self, what An-
nulus shall be diminutive enough, to express
our weekly revolutions? In chaines the least
linkes have most curiosity, but that can be
no emblem of us: but they have also the
most strength, and that may. The first sphere
onely which is resisted by nothing, absolves
his course every day; and so doth true
friendship well placed, often iterate in act or
Persons of Honour.27
or purpose, the same offices. But as the
lower spheres, subject to the violence of
that, and yet naturally encouraged to a re-
luctation against it, have therefore many
distractions, and eccentricities, and some
trepidations, and so return but lamely, and
lately to the same place, and office: so that
friendship which is not moved primarily
by the proper intelligence, discretion, and
about the naturall center, vertue, doth per-
chance sometimes, some things, somewhat
like true friendship; but hath many devia-
tions, which are strayings into new loves,
(not of other men; for that is proper to
true wise friendship, which is not a mar-
ring; but of other things) and hath such
trepidations as keep it from shewing it self,
where great persons do not love; and it re-
turns to the true first station and place of
friendship planetarily, which is uncertain-
ly and seldome. I have ever seen in London
and our Court, as some colours, and habits,
and continuances, and motions, and phra-
ses, and accents, and songs, so friends in fashion
28Letters to severall
fashion and in season: and I have seen
them as sodainly abandoned altogether,
though I see no change in them, nor know
more why they were left, then why they
were chosen. To do things by example,
and upon confidence of anothers judgment
may be some kinde of a second wisdome;
but it is but writing by a copy: or indeed it
is the hardest of all, and the issue of the first
wisdome, for I cannot know that this ex-
ample should be followed, except I knew
that it is good, and so I judge my Judge.
Our assent therefore, and arrest, must be
upon things, not persons. And when we
are sure we are in the right way, for great
persons, we may be glad of their company,
if they go our way; we may for them
change our place, but not our end, nor our
way, if there be but one, us in Religion. In
persevering in it, it concerns as much what
our companions be, but very much what
our friends. In which I know I speak not
dangerously nor mis-appliably to you, as
though I averted you from any of those friends
Persons of Honour.29
friends, who are of other impressions then
you or I in some great circumstances of Re-
ligion. You know I never fettered nor im-
prisoned the word Religion; not straight-
ning it Frierly, ad Religiones factitias, (as
the Romans call well their orders of Religi-
on) nor immuring it in a Rome, or a
Wittemberg, or a Geneva; they are all virtuall
beams of one Sun, and wheresoever they
finde clay hearts, they harden them, and
moulder them into dust; and they entender
and mollifie waxen. They are not so con-
trary as the North and South Poles; and
that they are connaturall pieces of one cir-
cle. Religion is Christianity, which being
too spirituall to be seen by us, doth there-
fore take an apparent body of good life and
works, so salvation requires an honest
Christian. These are the two Elements,
and he which elemented from these, hath
the complexion of a good man, and a fit
friend. The diseases are, too much intenti-
on into indiscreet zeal, and too much remis-
nesse and negligence by giving scandall: for our
30Letters to severall
our condition and state in this, is as infirm
as in our bodies; where physitians consi-
der only two degrees; sicknesse, and neu-
trality; for there is no health in us. This,
Sir, I use to say to you, rather to have so
good a witnesse and corrector of my medi-
tations, then to advise; and yet to do that
too, since it is pardonable in a friend: Not
to slack you towards those friends which
are religious in other clothes then we; (for
Amici vitia si feras facis tua, is true of such
faults) but to keep you awake against such
as the place where you must live will of-
ten obtrude, which are not onely naked,
without any fashion of such garments, but
have neither the body of Religion, which
is morall honesty, and sociable faithfulness,
nor the soul, Christianity. I know not how
this paper scaped last week which I send
now; I was so sure that I enwrapped it then,
that I should be so still, but that I had but
one copy; forgive it as you use to do. From
Micham in as much haste, and with as ill
Pen and Inke, as the letter can accuse me of;
Persons of Honour.31
of; but with the last and the next weeks
heart and affection. Yours very truely and affectionately
J. Donne. To Sir H.G. SIR, THisThis letter hath more merit, then one
of more diligence, for I wrote it in
my bed, and with much pain. I have occasi-
on to sit late some nights in my study,
(which your books make a prety library)
and now I finde that that room hath a
wholesome emblematique use: for having
under it a vault, I make that promise me, that
I shall die reading, since my book and a
grave are so near. But it hath another as
unwholesome, that by raw vapors
rising from thence, (for I can impute it to
nothing else) I have contracted a sicknesse
which I cannot name nor describe. For it
hath so much of a continuall Cramp, that
it wrests the sinews, so much of a Tetane,
that it withdraws and puls the mouth, and so
32Letters to severall
so much of the Gout, (which they whose
counsell I use, say it is) that it is not like
to be cured, though I am too hasty in three
days to pronounce it. If it be the Gout, I
am miserable; for that affects dangerous
parts, as my neck and breast, and (I think
fearfully) my stomach, but it will not kill
me yet; I shall be in this world, like a por-
ter in a great house, ever nearest the door,
but seldomest abroad: I shall have many
things to make me weary, and yet not get
leave to be gone. If I go, I will provide by
my best means that you suffer not for me,
in your bonds. The estate which I should
leave behinde me of any estimation, is my
poor fame, in the memory of my friends,
and therefore I would be curious of it, and
provide that they repent not to have loved
me. Since my imprisonment in my bed, I
have made a meditation in verse, which I
call a Litany; the word you know imports
no other then supplication, but all Churches
have one forme of supplication, by that
name. Amongst ancient annals I mean some
Persons of Honour.33
some 800 years, I have met two Letanies
in Latin verse, which gave me not the rea-
son of my meditations, for in good faith I
thought not upon them then, but they give
me a defence, if any man; to a Lay man, and
a private, impute it as a fault, to take such
divine and publique names, to his own
little thoughts. The first of these was made
by Ratpertus a Monk of Suevia; and the
other by S. Notker, of whom I will give you
this note by the way, that he is a private
Saint, for a few Parishes; they were both
but Monks, and the Letanies poor and bar-
barous enough; yet Pope Nicolas the 5, va-
lued their devotion so much, that he cano-
nized both their Poems, and commanded
them for publike service in their Churches:
mine is for lesser Chappels, which are my
friends, and though a copy of it were due
to you, now, yet I am so unable to serve my
self with writing it for you at this time,
(being some 30 staves of 9 lines) that I must
intreat you to take a promise that you shall
have the first, for a testimony of that duty which
34Letters to severall
which I owe to your love, and to my self,
who am bound to cherish it by my best of-
fices. That by which it will deserve best
acceptation, is, That neither the Roman
Church need call it defective, because it
abhors not the particular mention of the
blessed Triumphers in heaven; nor the
Reformed can discreetly accuse it, of attri-
buting more then a rectified devotion
ought to doe. The day before I lay down,
I was at London, where I delivered your Let-
ter for Sr Ed. Conway, and received another
for you, with the copy of my Book, of
which it is impossible for me to give you a
copy so soon, for it is not of much lesse then
300 pages. If I die, it shall come to you
in that fashion that your Letter desires it.
If I warm again, (as I have often seen such
beg-gers as my indisposition is, end them-
selves soon, and the patient as soon) you
and I shal speak together of that, before it be
too late to serve you in that command-
ment. At this time I onely assure you, that
I have not appointed it upon any person, nor
Persons of Honour.35
nor ever purposed to print it: which later
perchance you thought, and grounded
your request thereupon. A Gent. that visi-
ted me yesterday told me that our Church
hath lost Mr Hugh Broughton, who is gone
to the Roman side. I have known before,
that Serarius the Jesuit was an instrument
from Cardinall Baronius to draw him to
Rome, to accept a stipend, onely to serve
the Christian Churches in controversies
with the Jews, without indangering
himself to change of his perswasion in par-
ticular deductions between these Christian
Churches, or being enquired of, or tempted
thereunto. And I hope he is no otherwise
departed from us. If he be, we shall not
escape scandall in it; because, though he be
a man of many distempers, yet when he
shall come to eat assured bread, and to be
removed from partialities, to which want
drove him, to make himself a reputation,
and raise up favourers; you shall see in that
course of opposing the Jews, he will pro-
duce worthy things: and our Church will per-
36Letters to severall
perchance blush to have lost a Souldier fit
for that great battell; and to cherish onely
those single Duellisms, between Rome and
England, or that more single, and almost
self-homicide, between the unconformed
Ministers, and Bishops. I writ to you last
week that the plague increased; by which
you may see that my Letters ------------
--------------------------- opinion of the
song, not that I make such trifles for praise;
but because as long as you speak compara-
tively of it with mine own, and not abso-
lutely, so long I am of your opinion even at
this time; when I humbly thank God, I ask
& have, his comfort of sadder meditations;
I doe not condemn in my self, that I have
given my wit such evaporations, as those, if
they be free from prophaneness, or obscene
provocations. Sr you would pity me if you
saw me write, and therefore will pardon
me if I write no more: my pain hath drawn
my head so much awry, and holds it so
that mine eie cannot follow mine hand:
I receive you therefore into my prayers, with
Persons of Honour.37
with mine own weary soul, and commend
my self to yours. I doubt not but next
week I shall be good news to you, for I
have mending or dying on my side, which
it two to one. If I continue thus, I shall
have comfort in this, that my B. Saviour
exercising his Justice upon my two world-
ly parts, my fortune, and body, reserves all
his mercy for that which best tasts it, and
most needs it, my soul. I professe to you
truly, that my lothnesse to give over now,
seems to my self an ill sign, that I shall
write no more. Your poor friend, and Gods poor patient,
Jo. Donne. To my worthy and honoured friend Mr George
Garet. Sir, II Amam sorry, if your care of me have made
you importune to any body else; yet I
cannot be very sorry because it gives new
testimonies of your favour to me, of which
I shall ever be very glad, and (that which is
38Letters to severall
is my onely vertue) thankfull: so despe-
rate fortunes as mine, may well make
friends loth to doe curtesies, because an in-
ability in deserving or requiting, takes from
them the honour of having done a curtesie,
and leaves it but the poor name of an alms;
and alms may be given in easier proporti-
ons, and more meritoriously. Bur Sr, by
what name or weight soever you esteem
this kindnesse which you have done me, I
value it so, as might alone perswade me of
your care of me; in recompense of which,
you must be pleased to accept new assuran-
ces that I am Your very affectionate servant,
J. Donne. I pray let my service be
presented by you to
Mr Roope. To Mr George Garet. Sir, II Havehave not received that Letter, which by
this, I perceive you sent to London; if there
were any thing in that, by which I might
have taken occasion to have done you ser-
vice
Persons of Honour.39 vice before this time, I have a double rea-
son of grief for the want of it. I came from
thence upon Thursday, where I left Sir Tho.
Roe so indulgent to his sorrow, as it had
been an injury to have interrupted it with
my unusefull company. I have done no-
thing of that kinde as your Letter inti-
mates, in the memory of that good Gentle-
woman; if I had, I should not finde any
better use of it, then to put it into your
hands. You teach me what I owe her
memory; and if I pay that debt so, you
have a part and interest in it, by doing me
the honour of remembring it: and there-
fore it must come quickly to you. I hope
not for your return from Court, till I come
thither; which if I can be master of my self,
or servant to my self, which I think is all
one, I hope to do some ten daies hence, ma-
king it my way to the Bathe. If you find any
there that have not forgot my name, conti-
nue me in their favour, and hold in your
self a firm assurance that I am Your affectionate servant J. Donne. To
40Letters to severall To Mrs Martha Garet. Madame, THoughThough there be much merit, in the fa-
vour your brother hath done me in a
visit, yet that which doth enrich and per-
fect it, is, that he brought you with him;
which he doth, as well by letting me see
how you do, as by giving me occasions, and
leave to talk with you by this Letter: if you
have any servant, which wishes you better
then I, it must be because he is able to put
his wishes into a better frame, and expresse
them better, and understand proportion,
and greatnesse better then I. I am willing
to confesse my impotencie; which is, that
I know no wish good enough for you; if
any doe, my advantage is, that I can exceed
his, by adding mine to it. You must not
think that I begin to think thus, when you
begin to hear it, by a Letter; As sometimes
by the changing of the winde, you begin to
hear a Trumpet, which sounded long be-
fore you heard it; so are these thoughts of
Persons of Honour.41
of you familiar and ordinary in me,
though they have seldome the help of
this conveyance to your knowledge: I am
loth to leave; for as long as in any fashion,
I can have your brother and you here, you
make my house a kinde of Dorvey; but
since I cannot stay you here, I will come
thither to you; which I do, by wrapping up
in this paper, the heart of Your most affectionate servant
J. Donne. To Sir Thomas Roe. SIR, ITIt is an ease to your friends abroad, that
you are more a man of businesse then
heretofore; for now it were an injury to
trouble you with a busie Letter. But by the
same reason I were inexcusable if I should
not write at all, since the lesse, the more ac-
ceptable; therefore, Sir, though I have no
more to say, but to renew the obligations
I have towards you, and to continue my place
42Letters to severall
place in your love, I would not forbear to
tell you so. If I shall also tell you, that when
this place affords any thing worth your
hearing, I will be your relator, I think I take
so long a day, as you would forget the debt,
it appears yet to be so barren. Howsoever
with every commodity, I shall say some-
thing, though it be but a descant upon this
plain song, that I am Your affectionate servant
J. Donne. To all my friends: Sir H. Goodere. SIR, II Amam not weary of writing; it is the
course but durable garment of my love;
but I am weary of wanting you. I have a
minde like those bodies, which have hot
Livers, and cold stomachs; or such a dis-
temper as travelled me at Paris; a Fever,
and dysentery: in which, that which is phy-
sick to one infirmity, nourishes the other.
So I abhor nothing more then sadnesse, ex-
cept the ordinary remedy, change of com-
pany.
Persons of Honour.43 pany. I can allow my self to be Animal socia-
le, appliable to my company, but not gregale,
to herd my self in every troup. It is not per-
fectly true which very subtil, yet very deep
wit Averroes says, that all mankinde hath
but one soul, which informes and rules us
all, as one Intelligence doth the firmament
and all the Starres in it: as though a parti-
cular body were too little an organ for a
soul to play upon. And it is as imperfect
which is taught by that religion wch is most
accommodate to sense (I dare not say to rea-
son (though it have appearance of that too)
because none may doubt but that that reli-
gion is certainly best, which is reasonablest)
That all mankinde hath one protecting
Angel; all Christians one other, all English
one other, all of one Corporation and every
civill coagulation or society one other; and
every man one other. Though both these
opinions expresse a truth; which is, that
mankinde hath very strong bounds to co-
habit and concurre in other then moun-
tains and hills during his life. First, com-
mon,
44Letters to severall mon, and mutual necessity of one ano-
ther; and therefore naturally in our de-
fence, and subventions we first flie to our
selves; next, to that which is likest, other
men. Then, naturall and inborn charity,
beginning at home, which perswades us
to give, that we may receive: And legall
charity, which makes us also forgive. Then
an ingraffing in one another, and growing
together by a custome of society: and last
of all, strict friendship, in which band
men were so presumed to be coupled, that
our Confessor King had a law, that if a
man be killed, the murderer shall pay a sum
felago suo, which the interpreters call, fide li-
gato, et comite vitæ. All these bands I willing-
ly receive, for no man is lesse of himself
then I: nor any man enough of himself.
To be so, is all one with omnipotence. And
it is well marked, that in the holy Book,
wheresoever they have rendered Almighty,
the word is Self-sufficient. I think some-
times that the having a family should re-
move me farre from the curse of Væ soli. But
Persons of Honour.45
But in so strict obligation of Parent, or
Husband, or Master, (and perchance it is
so in the last degree of friendship) where
all are made one, I am not the lesse alone,
for being in the midst of them. Therefore
this oleum lætitiæ, this balme of our lives, this
alacrity which dignifies even our service to
God, this gallant enemy of dejection and
sadnesse, (for which and wickednesse the
Italian allows but one word, Triste: And
in full condemnation whereof it was pro-
phesied of our blessed Saviour, Non erit
tristis, in his conversation) must be sought
and preserved diligently. And since it
grows without us, we must be sure to gather
it from the right tree. They which place
this alacrity only in a good conscience,
deal somewhat too roundly with us, for
when we aske the way, they shew us the
town afar off: Will a Physitian consulted
for health and strength, bid you have good
sinews and equall temper? It is true, that
this conscience is the resultance of all other
particular actions; it is our triumph and ban-
46Letters to severall
banquet in the haven; but I would come
towards that also, (as Mariners say)
with a merry winde. Our nature is Mete-
orique, we respect (because we partake so)
both earth and heaven; for as our bodies
glorified shall be capable of spirituall joy,
so our souls demerged into those bodies,
are allowed to partake earthly pleasure.
Our soul is not sent hither, only to go back
again: we have some errand to do here:
nor is it sent into prison, because it comes
innocent: and he which sent it, is just. As
we may not kill our selves, so we may not
bury our selves: which is done or endan-
gered in a dull Monastique sadnesse, which
is so much worse than jolity (for upon that
word I durst ------------------------------
--------------- And certainly despair is in-
finitly worse, then presumption: both be-
cause this is an excesse of love, that of fear;
and because this is up, that down the hill;
easier, and more stumbling. Heaven is ex-
pressed by singings, hell by weeping. And
though our blessed Saviour be never noted to
Persons of Honour.47
to have laughed, yet his continuance is said
ever to be smiling. And that even moderate
mirth of heart, and face, and all I wish to
my self; and perswade you to keep. This
alacrity is not had by a general charity and e-
quanimity to all mankinde, for that is to
seek fruit in a wildernesse: nor from a sin-
gular friend, for that is to fetch it out of
your own pocket: but the various and
abundant grace of it, is good company. In
which no rank, no number, no quality,
but ill, and such a degree of that as may
corrupt and poyson the good, is exempt.
For in nearer then them, your friend, and
somewhat nearer then he, in your self you
must allow some inordinatenesse of affecti-
ons and passions. For it is not true that they
are not natural, but stormes and tempests of
our bloud and humours: for they are na-
turall, but sickly. And as the Indian priests
expressed an excellent charity, by building
Hospitalls and providing chirurgery for
birds and beasts lamed by mischance, or
age, or labour: so must we, not cut off, but
48Letters to severall
but cure these affections, which are the
bestiall part. To Sir H. Goodere. SIR, EVery tuesday I make account that I turn
a great hour-glass, and consider that a
weeks life is run out since I writ. But if I
aske my self what I have done in the last
watch, or would do in the next, I can say
nothing; if I say that I have passed it with-
out hurting any, so may the Spider in my
window. The primitive Monkes were
excusable in their retirings and enclosures
of themselves: for even of them every one
cultivated his own garden and orchard,
that is, his soul and body, by meditation,
and manufactures; and they ought the
world no more since they consumed none
of her sweetnesse, nor begot others to bur-
den her. But for me, if I were able to hus-
band all my time so thriftily, as not onely
not to wound my soul in any minute by
actuall sinne, but not to rob and cousen her by
Persons of Honour.49
by giving any part to pleasure or businesse,
but bestow it all upon her in meditation, yet
even in that I should wound her more, and
contract another guiltinesse: As the Eagle
were very unnaturall if because she is able
to do it, she should pearch a whole day
upon a tree, staring in contemplation of
the majestie and glory of the Sun, and let
her young Eglets starve in the nest. Two
of the most precious things which God
hath afforded us here, for the agony and
exercise of out sense and spirit, which are
a thirst and inhiation after the next life,
and a frequency of prayer and meditation
in this, are often envenomed, and putrefied,
and stray into a corrupt disease: for as God
doth thus occasion, and positively concurre
to evill, that when a man is purposed to do
a great sin, God infuses some good thoughts
which make him choose a lesse sin, or
leave out some circumstance which aggra-
vated that; so the devill doth not only suffer
but provoke us to some things naturally
good, upon condition that we shall omit some
50Letters to severall
some other more necessary and more obli-
gatory. And this is his greatest subtilty;
because herein we have the deceitfull com-
fort of having done well, and can very
hardly spie our errour because it is but an
insensible omission, and no accusing act.
With the first of these I have often suspected
my self to be overtaken; which is, with a
desire of the next life: which though I
know it is not meerly out of a wearinesse
of this, because I had the same desires
when I went with the tyde, and enjoyed
fairer hopes then now: yet I doubt worldly
encombrances have encreased it. I would not
that death should take me asleep. I would
not have him meerly seise me, and onely
declare me to be dead, but win me, and
overcome me. When I must shipwrack,
I would do it in a Sea, where mine impo-
tencie might have some excuse; not in a
sullen weedy lake, where I could not have
so much as exercise for my swimming.
Therefore I would fain do something;
but that I cannot tell what, is no wonder. For
Persons of Honour.51
For to chuse, is to do: but to be no part of
any body, is to be nothing. At most, the
greatest persons, are but great wens, and
excrescences; men of wit and delightfull
conversation, but as moales for ornament,
except they be so incorporated into the bo-
dy of the world, that they contribute some-
thing to the sustentation of the whole. This
I made account that I begun early, when I
understood the study of our laws: but was
diverted by the worst voluptuousnes, which
is an Hydroptique immoderate desire of
humane learning and languages: beauti-
full ornaments to great fortunes; but mine
needed an occupation, and a course which
I thought I entred well into, when I sub-
mitted my self to such a service, as I thought
might imployedimploy those poor advan-
tages, which I had. And there I stumbled
too, yet I would try again: for to this hour
I am nothing, or so little, that I am scarce
subject and argument good enough for one
of mine own letters: yet I fear, that doth
not ever proceed from a good root, that I am
52Letters to severall
am so well content to be lesse, that is dead.
You, Sir, are farre enough from these de-
scents, your vertue keeps you secure, and
your naturall disposition to mirth will pre-
serve you; but lose none of these holds, a
slip is often as dangerous as a bruise, and
though you cannot fall to my lownesse, yet
in a much lesse distraction you may meet
my sadnesse; for he is no safer which falls
from an high tower into the leads; then he
which falls from thence to the ground:
make therefore to your self some mark, and
go towards it alegrement. Though I be
in such a planetary and erratique fortune,
that I can do nothing constantly, yet you
may finde some constancy in my constant
advising you to it. Your hearty true friend
J. Donne. I came this evening from M. Jones his house
in Essex, where M. Martin hath been, and left
a relation of Captain Whitcocks death, perchance it is
no news to you, but it was to me; without doubt want broke
Persons of Honour.53
broke him; for when M. Hollands company by
reason of the plague broke, the Captain sought to be at
Mris. Jones house, who in her husbands absence
declining it, he went in the night, his boy carrying his
cloakbag, on foot to the Lord of Sussex, who going next
day to hunt, the Captain not then sick, told him he
would see him no more. A Chaplain came up to him,
to whom he delivered an account of his understanding,
and I hope, of his beliefe, and soon after dyed; and my
Lord hath buryed him with his own Ancestors. Per-
chance his life needed a longer sicknesse, but a man may
go faster and safer, when he enjoyes that day light of a
clear and sound understanding, then in the night or
twilight of an ague or other disease. And the grace of
Almighty God doth every thing suddenly and hastily,
but depart from us, it inlightens us, warms us, heats us,
ravishes us, at once. Such a medicin, I fear, his incon-
sideration needed; and I hope as confidently that he
had it. As our soul is infused when it is created,
and created when it is infused, so at her going out, Gods
mercy is had by asking, and that is asked by having.
Lest your Poleworth carrier should cousen me, I send
my man with this letter early to London, whither
this Tuesday all the Court come to a Christening at Arondell
54Letters to severall
Arondell house, and stay in town so that I will sup
with the good Lady, and write again to morrow to you, if
any thing be occasioned there, which concerns you, and
I will tell her so; next day they are to return to Ham-
pton, and upon Friday the King to Royston. To Sir H. Goodere. SIR, IFIf this which I send you inclosed give me
right intelligence, I present you a way by
which you may redeem all your former
wastes, and recompense your ill fortunes,
in having sometimes apprehended unsuc-
cesfull suits, and (that which I presume you
affect most) ease your self from all future
inquisition of widowes or such businesses
as aske so over industrious a pursuit, as de-
vest a man from his best happinesse of en-
joying himself. I give you (I think) the first
knowledge, of two millions confiscated to
the Crown of England: of which I dare
assure my self the coffers have yet touched
none, nor have the Commissioners for suits any
Persons of Honour.55
any thing to oppose against a suit founded
upon this confiscation, though they hold
never so strictly to their instructions. After
you have served your self with aproportion,
I pray make a petition in my name for as
much as you think may be given me for my
book out of this; for, but out of this, I have
no imagination. And for a token of my de-
sire to serve him, present M. Fowler
with 3 or 4000 li. of this since he was so re-
solved never to leave his place, without a
suit of that value. I wish your cousen in the
town, better provided, but if he be not, here
is enough for him. And since I am ever an
affectionate servant to that journey, acquaint
M. Martin from me, how easie it will be
to get a good part of this for Virginia. Upon
the least petition that M. Brook can pre-
sent he may make himself whole again, of
all which the Kings servants M. Lepton
and master Waterouse, have endammaged
him. Give him leave to offer to M.
Hakevill enough to please himself, for his
Aurum Regina. And if M. Gherard have no
56Letters to severall
no present hopefull designe upon a worthy
Widow, let him have so much of this as
will provide him that house and coach
which he promised to lend me at my re-
turn. If M. Inago Jones be not satisfied
for his last Maske (because I hear say it
cannot come to much) here is enough to
be had: This is but a copy, but if Sir Ro.
Cotton have the originall he will not deny it
you; if he hath it not, no body else hath it,
nor can prevent you; husband it well, which
you may easily doe, because I assure my self
none of the children nor friends of the par-
ty condemned will crosse you or impor-
tune the King for any part. If I get no
more by it, yet it hath made me a Let-
ter. And Sir (to depart from this Mine)
in what part of my Letters soever you find
the remembrance of my humble service
to my Lord of Belford, I beseech you ever
think them intended for the first, and in that
ranke present them. I have yet received but
one Letter from you which was of the
10 of December by M. Pory, but you see that as
Persons of Honour.57
as long as there is one egge left in the nest, I
never leave laying, nor should although
you had sent none since; all at last will not
amount to so good a testimony as I would
fain give how much I am Your affectionate servant and lover,
J. Donne. Sir, I write this Letter in no very great degree of a
convalescence from such storms of a stomach colick as
kept me in a continuall vomiting, so that I know not
what I should have been able to doe to dispatch this
winde, but that an honest fever came and was my phy-
sick: I tell you of it onely lest some report should make
it worse, for me thinks that they who love to adde to
news should think it a master-piece to be able to say no
worse of any ill fortune of mine then it deserves, since
commonly it deserves worse then they can say, but they
did not, and I am reprieved. I finde dying to be like
those facts which denying makes felony: when a sick-
nesse examines us, and we confess that we are willing
to die, we cannot, but those who are ------ incure the
penalty: and I may die yet, if talking idly be an ill
sign. God be with you. To
58Letters to severall To the same. SIR, ITIt is in our State ever held for a good sign
to change Prison, and nella Signoria de
mi, I will think it so, that my sicknesse hath
given me leave to come to my London-pri-
son. I made no doubt but my entrance-pain
(for it was so rather then a sicknesse, but
that my sadnesse putrefied and corrupted it
to that name) affected you also; for nearer
Contracts then generall Christianity, had
made us so much towards one, that one
part cannot escape the distemper of the o-
ther. I was therefore very carefull, as well
to slack any sorrow which my danger
might occasion in you; as to give you the
comfort of having been heard in your
prayers for me, to tell you as soon as my
pain remitted what steps I made towards
health, which I did last week. This Tues-
day morning your man brought me a Let-
ter, which (if he had not found me at Lon-
don) I see he had a hasty commandment to have
Persons of Honour.59
have brought to Micham. Sr, though my for-
tune hath made me such as I am, rather a
sicknesse and disease of the world then any
part of it, yet I esteemed my self so far from
being so to you, as I esteemed you to be far
from being so of the world, as to measure
men by fortune or events. I am now gone
so far towards health, as there is not infir-
mity enough left in me for an assurance of
so much noblenesse and truth, as your last
Letter is to work upon, that might cure a
greater indisposition then I am now in: And
though if I had died, I had not gone
without testimonies of such a disposition
in you towards the reparation of my for-
tune, or preservation of my poor reputati-
on; yet I would live, and be some such
thing as you might not be ashamed to
love. Your man must send away this hour
in which he visits me; and I have not yet
(for I came last night) offered to visit my
La. Bedford, and therefore have nothing to
say which should make me grudge this
straitnesse of time. He tels me he sends again upon
60Letters to severall
upon Thursday, and therefore I will make an
end of this Letter, and perfect it then. I
doubt my Letters have not come duly to
your hand, and that I writing in my dun-
geon of Michim without dating, have made
the Chronologie and sequence of my Let-
ters perplexed to you; howsoever you shall
not be rid of this Ague of my Letters,
though perchance the fit change daies. I
have received in a narrow compasse three
of yours, one with the Catalogue of your
Books, another I found here left last Sater-
day by your man, and this which he
brought me this morning. Sir, I dare sit
no longer in my wastcoat, nor have any
thing worth the danger of a relapse to
write. I owe you so much of my health, as
I would not mingle you in any occasion of
repairing it, and therefore here ask leave to
kisse your hands, and bid you good mor-
row and farewell. Your very true friend and servant
J Donne. To
Persons of Honour.61 To Sr H. G. SIR, ITIt should be no interruption to your
pleasures, to hear me often say that I love
you, and that you are as much my medita-
tions as my self: I often compare not you
and me, but the sphear in which your re-
solutions are, and my wheel; both I hope
concentrique to God: for me thinks the
new Astronomie is thus appliable well, that
we which are a little earth, should rather
move towards God, then that he which is
fulfilling, and can come no whither, should
move towards us. To your life full of vari-
ety, nothing is old, nor new to mine; and
as to that life, all stickings and hesitations
seem stupid and stony, so to this, all fluid
slipperinesses, and transitory migrations
seem giddie and featherie. In that life one
is ever in the porch or postern, going in or
out, never within his house himself: It is
a garment made of remnants, a life raveld
out into ends, a line discontinued, and a num-
62Letters to severall
number of small wretched points, uselesse,
because they concurre not: A life built of
past and future, not proposing any constant
present; they have more pleasures then we,
but not more pleasure; they joy oftner, we
longer; and no man but of so much under-
standing as may deliver him from being a
fool, would change with a mad-man,
which had a better proportion of wit in
his often Lucidis. You know, they which
dwell farthest from the Sun, if in any con-
venient distance, have longer daies, better
appetites, better digestion, better growth,
and longer life: And all these advantages
have their mindes who are well removed
from the scorchings, and dazlings, and ex-
halings of the worlds glory: but neither
of our lives are in such extremes; for you
living at Court without ambition, which
would burn you, or envy, which would
devest others, live in the Sun, not in the fire:
And I which live in the Country without
stupefying, am not in darknesse, but in sha-
dow, which is not no light, but a pallid, wa-
Persons of Honour.63
waterish, and diluted one. As all shadows
are of one colour, if you respect the body
from which they are cast (for our shadows
upon clay will be dirty, and in a garden
green, and flowery) so all retirings into a
shadowy life are alike from all causes, and
alike subject to the barbarousnesse and in-
sipid dulnesse of the Country: onely the
emploiments, and that upon which you
cast and bestow your pleasure, businesse, or
books, gives it the tincture, and beauty. But
truly wheresoever we are, if we can but tell
our selves truly what and where we would
be, we may make any state and place such;
for we are so composed, that if abundance,
or glory scorch and melt us, we have an
earthly cave, our bodies, to go into by con-
sideration, and cool our selves: and if we
be frozen, and contracted with lower and
dark fortunes, we have within us a torch, a
soul, lighter and warmer then any without:
we are therefore our own umbrella's, and
our own suns. These, Sir, are the sallads
and onions of Micham, sent to you with as whole-
64Letters to severall
wholesome affection as your other friends
send Melons and Quelque-choses from
Court and London. If I present you not as
good diet as they, I would yet say grace to
theirs, and bid much good do it you. I
send you, with this, a Letter which I sent to
the Countesse. It is not my use nor duty to
doe so, but for your having of it, there were
but two consents, and I am sure you have
mine, and you are sure you have hers. I also
writ to her Lap for the verses she shewed
in the garden, which I did not onely to
extort them, nor onely to keep my promise
of writing, for that I had done in the other
Letter, and perchance she hath forgotten
the promise; nor onely because I think my
Letters just good enough for a progresse,
but because I would write apace to her,
whilest it is possible to expresse that which
I yet know of her, for by this growth I see
how soon she will be ineffable. Sir
Persons of Honour.65 SIR,
THoughThough my friendship be good for
nothing else, it may give you the pro-
fit of a tentation, or of an affliction: It may
excuse your patience; and though it can-
not allure, it shall importune you. Though
I know you have many worthy friends of
all rankes, yet I adde something, since I
which am of none, would fain be your
friend too. There is some of the honour
and some of the degrees of a Creation, to
make a friendship of nothing. Yet, not to
annihilate my self utterly (for though it
seem humblenesse, yet it is a work of as
much almightinesse, to bring a thing to
nothing, as from nothing) though I be not
of the best stuffe for friendship, which men
of warm and durable fortunes only are, I
cannot say, that I am not of the best fashion,
if truth and honesty be that; which I must
ever exercise, towards you, because I learned
it of you: for the conversation with wor-
thy men, and of good example, (though it sow
66Letters to severall
sow not vertue in us, yet produceth and
ripeneth it. Your mans haste, and mine to
Micham cuts off this Letter here, yet, as in
littell paterns torn from a whole piece, this
may tell you what all I am. Though by
taking me before my day (which I accoun-
ted Tuesday) I make short payment of this
duty of Letters, yet I have a little comfort
in this, that you see me hereby, willing to
pay those debts which I can, before my
time. First Saturday in
March. 1607.
Your affectionate friend
J. Donne. You forget to send me the Apology; and many times,
I think it an injury to remember one of a promise, lest
it confesse a distrust. But of the book, by occasion of
reading the Deans answer to it, I have sometimes
some want. To
Persons of Honour.67 To the Countesse of Bedford. Happiest and worthiest Lady, II Dodo not remember that ever I have seen a
petition in verse, I would not therefore
be singular, nor adde these to your other
papers. I have yet adventured so near as to
make a petition for verse, it is for those your
Ladiship did me the honour to see in
Twicknam garden, except you repent your
making, and having mended your judge-
ment by thinking worse, that is, better, be-
cause juster, of their subject. They must
needs be an excellent exercise of your wit,
which speake so well of so ill: I humbly
beg them of your Ladiship, with two such
promises, as to any other of your composi-
tions were threatnings: that I will not shew
them, and that I will not beleeve them;
and nothing should be so used that comes
from your brain or breast. If I should con-
fesse a fault in the boldnesse of asking
them, or make a fault by doing it
in a longer Letter, your Ladiship might use
68Letters to severall
use your style and old fashion of the Court
towards me, and pay me with a Pardon.
Here therefore I humbly kisse your Ladi-
ships fair learned hands, and wish you
good wishes and speedy grants. Your Ladiships servant
J. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir H. Goodere. BEcauseBecause things be conserved by the same
means, which established them, I nurse
that friendship by Letters, which you be-
got so; though you have since strengthened
it by more solid aliment and real offices. In
these Letters from the Country there is this
merit, that I do otherwise willingly turn
mine eye or thoughts from my books, com-
panions in whom there in no falshood nor
frowardnesse: which words, I am glad to
observe that the holy Authors often joyne
as expressers and relatives to one another,
because else out of a naturall descent to that
unworthy fault of frowardnesse, furthered with
Persons of Honour.69
with that incommodity of a little thinne
house; I should have mistaken it to be a
small thing, which now I see equalled
with the worst. If you have laid papers
and books by, I pray let this messenger have
them, I have determined upon them. If
you have not, be content to do it, in the
next three or four days. So, Sir, I kisse your
hands; and deliver to you an intire and
clear heart; which shall ever when I am
with you be in my face and tongue, and
when I am from you, in my Letters, for I
will never draw Curtain between you and it. From your house at
Micham friday morning.
Yours very affectionately
J. Donne. When you are sometimes at M. Sackvills, I pray
aske if he have this book, Baldvinus de officio-
pii hominis in controversiis; it was written at the
conference at Poissy, where Beza was, and he an-
swered it; I long for it. To
70Letters to severall To Sir H. G. SIR, II Hopehope you are now welcome to London,
and well, and well comforted in your
Fathers health and love, and well conten-
ted that we ask you how you doe, and tell
you how we are, which yet I cannot of my
self; If I knew that I were ill, I were well;
for we consist of three parts, a Soul, and Bo-
dy, and Minde: which I call those thoughts
and affections and passions, which neither
soul nor body hath alone, but have been be-
gotten by their communication, as Mu-
sique results out of our breath and a Cornet.
And of all these the diseases are cures, if they
be known. Of our souls sicknesses, which
are sinnes, the knowledge is, to acknow-
ledge, and that is her Physique, in which
we are not dieted by drams and scruples,
for we cannot take too much. Of our bo-
dies infirmities, though our knowledge be
partly ab extrinseco, from the opinion of the
Physician, and that the subject and matter be
Persons of Honour.71
be flexible, and various; yet their rules are
certain, and if the matter be rightly applyed
to the rule, our knowledge thereof is also
certain. But of the diseases of the minde,
there is no Criterium, no Canon, no rule;
for, our own taste and apprehension and
interpretation should be the Judge, and that
is the disease it self. Therefore sometimes
when I finde my self transported with jol-
lity, and love of company, I hang Leads at
my heels; and reduce to my thoughts my
fortunes, my years, the duties of a man, of a
friend, of a husband, of a Father, and all
the incumbencies of a family: when sad-
nesse dejects me, either I countermine it
with another sadnesse, or I kindle squibs
about me again, and flie into sportfulnesse
and company: and I finde ever after all, that
I am like an exorcist, which had long la-
boured about one, which at last appears to
have the Mother, that I still mistake
my disease. And I still vex my self with this,
because if I know it not, no body can
know it. And I comfort my self, because I
72Letters to severall
I see dispassioned men are subject to the
like ignorances. For divers mindes out of
the same thing often draw contrary con-
clusions, as Augustine thought devout Antho-
ny to be therefore full of the holy Ghost, be-
cause not being able to read, he could say
the whole Bible, and interpret it; and
Thyreus the Jesuit for the same reason doth
thinke all the Anabaptists to be possessed.
And as often out of contrary things men
draw one conclusion. As to the Roman
Church, magnificence and splendor hath
ever been an argument of Gods favour, and
poverty & affliction, to the Greek. Out of this
variety of mindes it proceeds, that though
our souls would goe to one end, Heaven,
and all our bodies must go to one end, the
earth: yet our third part, the minde, which
is our naturall guide here, choses to every
man a severall way: scarce any man likes
what another doth, nor advisedly, that
which himself. But Sir, I am beyond my
purpose; I mean to write a Letter, and I am
fallen into a discourse, and I do not only take
Persons of Honour.73
take you from some businesse, but I make
you a new businesse by drawing you into
these meditations. In which let my open-
nesse be an argument of such love as I
would fain expresse in some worthier fa-
shion. To Sir G. F. SIR, II Writwrit to you once this week before; yet
I write again, both because it seems a
kinde of resifting of grace, to omit any
commodity of sending into England and
because any Pacquet from me into England
should go, not only without just fraight, but
without ballast, if it had not a letter to you.
In Letters that I received from Sir H. Wotton
yesterday from Amyens, I had one of the
8 of March from you, and with it one from
Mrs Danterey, of the 28 of January: which
is a strange disproportion, But Sir, if our
Letters come not in due order, and so
make not a certain and concurrent chain, yet
74Letters to severall
yet if they come as Atomes, and so meet
at last, by any crooked, and casuall applica-
tion, they make up, and they nourish bo-
dies of friendship; and in that fashion, I
mean one way or other, first or last, I hope
all the Letters which have been addressed
to us by one another, are safely arrived, ex-
cept perchance that pacquet by the Cook
be not, of which before this time you are
cleare; for I received (as I told you) a Let-
ter by M. Nat. Rich, and if you sent none
by him, then it was that Letter, which the
Cook tells you he delivered to M. Rich;
which, with all my criticismes, I cannot re-
concile; because in your last Letter, I find
mention of things formerly written, which
I have not found. However, I am yet in the
same perplexity, which I mentioned before,
which is, that I have received no syllable,
neither from her self, nor by any other,
how my wife hath passed her danger, nor
do I know whether I be increased by a
childe, or diminished by the losse of a wife.
I hear from England of many censures of my book
Persons of Honour.75
book, of Mris. Drury; if any of those censures
I do but pardon me in my descent in Printing
any thing in verse, (which if they do, they
are more charitable then my self; for I do
not pardon my self, but confesse that I did
it against my conscience, that is, against my
own opinion, that I should not have done
so) I doubt not but they will soon give
over that other part of that indictment,
which is that I have said so much; for no
body can imagine, that I who never saw
her, could have any other purpose in that,
then that when I had received so very good
testimony of her worthinesse, and was gone
down to print verses, it became me to say,
not what I was sure was just truth, but the
best that I could conceive; for that had
been a new weakness in me, to have prai-
sed any body in printed verses, that had
not been capable of the best praise that I
could give. Presently after Easter we shall
(I think) go to Frankford to be there at the
election, where we shall meet Sir H. Wotton
and Sir Ro Rich, and after that we are de-
termined
76Letters to severall termined to passe some time, in the Pala-
tinate. I go thither with a great deale of de-
votion; for me thinkes it is a new kinde
of piety, that as Pilgrims went heretofore
to places which had been holy and happy,
so I go to a place now, which shall be so,
and more, by the present of the worthiest
Princess of the world, if that marriage pro-
ceed. I have no greater errand to the place
then that at my return into England, I may
be the fitter to stand in her presence, and
that after I have seen a rich and abundant
Countrey, in his best seasons, I may see that
Sun which shall always keep it in that
height. Howsoever we stray, if you have
leasure to write at any time, adventure by
no other way, then M. Bruer, at the Queens
Armes, a Mercer, in Cheapside. I shall omit
no opportunity, of which I doubt not to
finde more then one before we go from
Paris. Therefore give me leave to end this,
in which if you did not finde the remem-
brance of my humblest services to my Lady
Bedford, your love and faith ought to try all>
Persons of Honour.77
all the experiments of pouders, and dryings,
and waterings to discover some lines which
appeared not; because it is impossible that
a Letter should come from me, with such
an ungratefull silence. Your very true poor friend and
servant and lover
J. Donne.
This day begins a History, of which I doubt not but
I shall write more to you before I leave this town. Mon-
sieur de Rohan, a person for birth, next heire to the
Kingdome of Navar, after the Kings children, (if the
King of Spaine were weary of it) and for allyance,
sonne in law to D. Sally, and for breeding in the wars
and estate, the most remarkable man of the Religion,
being Governour of S. Jean d' Angeli, one of the
most important towns which they of the Religion hold
for their security, finding that some distasts between the
Lieutenant and the Maior of the town, and him, were
dangerously fomented by great persons, stole from Court,
rode post to the town and removed these two persons.
He sent his secretary, and another dependent of his to
give the Queen satisfaction, who is so far from recei-
ving it, that his messengers are committed to the Bastile
78Letters to severall
Bastile, likely to be presently tortured; all his friends
here commanded to their houses, and the Queens com-
panies of light horse sent already thitherward, and
foot companies preparing; which troops being sent against
a place, so much concerning those of the Religion to
keep, and where they abound in number and strength,
cannot chuse but produce effects worthy your hearing
in the next Letter. To Sir H. G. SIR BEcauseBecause I am in a place and season where
I see every thing bud forth, I must do
so too, and vent some of my meditations
to you; the rather because all other buds
being yet without taste or virtue, my Let-
ters may be like them. The pleasantnesse
of the season displeases me. Every thing re-
freshes, and I wither, and I grow older and
not better, my strength diminishes, and
my load growes, and being to passe more
and more stormes, I finde that I have not
only cast out all my ballast which nature and
Persons of Honour.79
and time gives, Reason and discretion, and
so am as empty and light as Vanity can
make me; but I have over fraught my self
with Vice, and so am riddingly subject to
two contrary wrackes, Sinking and Over-
setting, and under the iniquity of such a
disease as inforces the patient when he is al-
most starved, not only to fast, but to purge.
For I have much to take in, and much to
cast out; sometimes I thinke it easier to dis-
charge my self of vice then of vanity, as one
may sooner carry the fire out of a room
then the smoake: and then I see it was a
new vanity to think so. And when I think
sometimes that vanity, because it is thinne
and airie, may be expelled with vertue or
businesse, or substantiall vice; I finde that
I give entrance thereby to new vices. Cer-
tainly as the earth and water, one sad, the
other fluid, make but one bodie: so to aire
and Vanity, there is but one Centrum morbi.
And that which later Physicians say of our
bodies, is fitter for our mindes: for that
which they call Destruction, which is a cor- ruption
80Letters to severall ruption and want of those fundamentall
parts whereof we consist, is Vice: and that
Collectio stercorum, which is but the excrement
of that corruption, is our Vanity and indis-
cretion: both these have but one root in
me, and must be pulled out at once, or ne-
ver But I am so farre from digging to it, that
I know not where it is, for it is not in mine
eyes only, but in every sense, nor in my con-
cupiscence only, but in every power and
affection. Sir, I was willing to let you see
how impotent a man you love, not to dis-
hearten you from doing so still (for my
vices are not infectious, nor wandring, they
came not yesterday, nor mean to go away
to day: they Inne not, but dwell in me, and
see themselves so welcome, and find in me
so good bad company of one another, that
they will not change, especially to one not
apprehensive, nor easily accessible) but I do
it, that your counsell might cure me, and if
you deny that, your example shal, for I will
as much strive to be like you as I will wish
to continue good. To
Persons of Honour.81 To the Honourable Kt Sr H. Goodere one of the
Gent. of his Majesties privy Chamber. SIR, YOU may remember that long since
you delivered Mr Fowler possession of
me, but the wide distance in which I have
lived from Court, makes me reasonably
fear, that now he knows not his right and
power in me, though he must of necessity
have all, to whom you and I joyn in a gift
of me, as we did to him, so that perchance
he hath a servant of me, which might be
passed in a book of concealment. If your
leisure suffer it, I pray finde whether I be in
him still, and conserve me in his love; and
so perfect your own work, or doe it over
again, and restore me to the place, which
by your favour I had in him. For Mr Powell
who serves her Maty as Clerk of her coun-
sell, hath told me that Mr Fowler hath some
purpose to retire himself; and therefore I
would fain for all my love, have so much
of his, as to finde him willing when I shall seek
82Letters to severall
seek him at Court, to let me understand his
purpose therein; for if my means may
make me acceptable to the Queen and him,
I should be very sorry, he should make so
farre steps therein with any other, that I
should fail in it, onely for not have spoke
to him soon enough. It were an injury to
the forwardnesse of your love to adde
more, here therefore I kisse your hands,
and commend to you the truth of my love. From my lodging in the Strand,
whither I shall return on Mun-
day, 23 June 1607.
Your very affectionate
servant and lover
Jo. Donne. To Sr H. G. SIR, YOU husband my time thriftily, when
you command me to write by such a
messenger, as can tell you more then I can
write, for so he doth not onely carry the
Letter, but is the Letter. But that the naming
of some things, may give you occasion to
ask him farther, and him to open himself
unto you, give me leave to tell you, that the now
Persons of Honour.83
now Spa. Embassadour proceeds in the old
pace, the King hath departed from his ordi-
nary way so farre, as to appoint 9 of the
Councell to treat with him; but when they
came to any approaches, he answered, that
be brought onely Commission to propose
certain things, which he was ready to doe,
but he had no instructions to treat, but ex-
pected them upon an other return from his
Master. So that there is no treaty for the
marriage begun yet: for I know you have
heard Olivarez his free acknowledgement,
that til the Prince came, there was no thoght
of it. The King in his gests of this progress,
hath determined it, not as heretofore, at
Windsor, but at Farnham during pleasure: so
he is within a journey of Southampton; and
even that circumstance addes to some other
reasons, that he expects the Prince this Sum-
mer, and that Sir W. Crofts, in his last dis-
patches, enlarged the Prince in his liberty,
from his Father, to come away, if he would.
Amongst all the irregularities of this age, to
me this is as strange as any, That this year there
84Letters to severall
there is no peace, and yet no sword drawn in
the world; & it is a lost conjecture to think
which way any of the Armies will bend.
Here it is imagined, that Yukendorfe and Gabor
(for, for any concurrence of love, it is but a
dream) may so farre distress Bohemia, as
that Tilly must be recalled thither; and that
if he be, Brunswikes way is open into Baviere,
where he may recompense great losses,
whilest Mansfield and Gonzales, and his Ex-
cellency and Spinola, keep the ballance even in
their parts, by looking upon another. This
noble friend of yours is in his last minute,
in this Town; and I am going into the
Coach with my Lo to Hanworth. If I might
have forborn the sealing the rest till my re-
turn from thence, you might have heard
something more from Your very true poor friend and humble
servant in Chr. Jes. J. Donne.
No straitnesse makes me forget my service to
your daughters: If my Bell were tolling, I should
pray for them, and though my Letter be sealing, I
Persons of Honour.85
I leave not out my wishes, that their fortunes
may second their goodnesse. Amen. To Sir H. G. SIR, THisThis Tuesday morning, which hath
brought me to London, presents me
with all your letters. Me thought it was
a rent day, I mean such as yours, and not as
mine; and yet such too, when I conside-
red how much I ought you for them,
how good a mother, how fertill and
abundant the understanding is, if she
have a good father; and how well
friendship performs that office. For that
which is denied in other generations is
done in this of yours: for here is superseta-
tion, childe upon childe, and that which is
more strange, twins at a latter conception.
If in my second religion, friendship, I had a
conscience, either errantem to mistake good
and bad and indifferent, or opinantem to be
ravished by others opinions or examples,
or dubiam to adhere to neither part, or scrupu-
losam
86Letters to severall losam to encline to one, but upon reasons
light in themselves, or indiscussed in me,
(which are almost all the diseases of consci-
ence) I might mistake your often, long, and
busie Letters, and fear you did but intreat
me to have mercy upon you and spare you;
for you know our Court took the resoluti-
on, that it was the best way to dispatch the
French Prince back again quickly, to re-
ceive him solemnly, ceremoniously, and ex-
pensively, when he hoped a domestique
and durable entertainment. I never meant
to excell you in weight nor price, but in
number and bulk I thought I might, be-
cause he may cast up a greater summe who
hath but forty small monies, then he with
twenty Poruguesses. The memory of
friends, (I mean onely for Letters) neither
enters ordinarily into busied men, because
they are ever emploied within, nor into
men of pleasure, because they are never at
home. For these wishes therefore which
you won out of your pleasure and recreati-
on, you were as excusable to me if you writ
Persons of Honour.87
writ seldome, as Sir H. Wotton is, under the
oppression of businesse, or the necessity of
seeming so; or more then he, because I
hope you have both pleasure and businesse:
onely to me, who have neither, this omis-
sion were sinne; for though writing be
not of the precepts of friendship, but of the
counsels, yet, as in some cases to some men
counsels become precepts, and though not
immediately from God, yet very roundly
and quickly from his Church, (as selling
and dividing goods in the first time, conti-
nence in the Romane Church, and order
and decencie in ours) so to me who can do
nothing else, it seems to binde my consci-
ence to write; and it is sinne to doe against
the conscience, though that erre. Yet no
mans Letters might be better wanted then
mine, since my whole Letter is nothing
else but a confession that I should and
would write. I owed you a Letter in verse
before by mine own promise, and now
that you think that you have hedged in that
debt by a greater by your Letter in verse, I think
88Letters to severall
think it now most seasonable and fashio-
nable for me to break. At least, to write
presently, were to accuse my self of not ha-
ving read yours so often as such a Letter
deserves from you to me. To make my
debt greater (for such is the desire of all,
who cannot or mean not to pay) I pray
read these two problemes: for such light
flashes as these have been my hawkings in
my sorry journies. I accompany them with
another ragge of verses, worthy of that
name for the smalnesse, and age, for it hath
long lien among my other papers, and
laughs at them that have adventured to
you: for I think till now you saw it not,
and neither you, nor it should repent it.
Sir, if I were any thing, my love to you
might multiply it, and dignifie it: But in-
finite nothings are but one such; yet since
even Chymera's have some name and titles,
I am also Yours. To
Persons of Honour.89 To your selfe. SIR, IFIf this Letter finde you in a progresse, or
at Bath, or at any place of equall leasure
to our Spâ, you will perchance descend to
reade so low meditations as these. Nothing
in my L. of Salisburies death exercised my
poor considerations so much, as the multi-
tude of libells. It was easily discerned, some
years before his death, that he was at a de-
fensive war, both for his honour and health,
and (as we then thought) for his estate:
and I thought, that had removed much of
the envy. Besides, I have just reasons to
think, that in the chiefest businesse be-
tween the Nations, he was a very good pa-
triot. But I meant to speake of nothing but
the libells, of which, all which are brought
into these parts, are so tastelesse and flat,
that I protest to you, I think they were made
by his friends. It is not the first time that
our age hath seen that art practised, That
when there are witty and sharp libels made which
90Letters to severall
which not onely for the liberty of speaking,
but for the elegancie, and composition,
would take deep root, and make durable
impressions in the memory, no other way
hath been thought so fit to suppresse them,
as to divulge some course, and railing one:
for when the noise is risen, that libels are
abroad, mens curiositie must be served
with something: and it is better for the
honour of the person traduced, that some
blunt downright railings be vented, of
which every body is soon weary, then other
pieces, which entertain us long with a de-
light, and love to the things themselves. I
doubt not but he smoothered some libels a-
gainst him in his life time. But I would all
these (or better) had been made then, for
they might then have wrought upon him;
and they might have testified that the Au-
thors had meant to mend him, but now they
can have no honest pretence. I dare say to
you, where I am not easily misinterpreted,
that there may be cases, where one may do
his Countrey good service, by libelling a-
gainst
Persons of Honour.91 gainst a live man. For, where a man is ei-
ther too great, or his Vices too generall, to
be brought under a judiciary accusation,
there is no way, but this extraordinary ac-
cusing, which we call Libelling. And I have
heard that nothing hath soupled and al-
layed the D. of Lerma in his violent great-
nesse, so much as the often libels made up-
on him. But after death, it is, in all cases,
unexcusable. I know that Lucifer, and one
or two more of the Fathers who writ libel-
lous books against the Emperours of their
times, are excused by our writers, because
they writ not in the lives of those Empe-
rours. I am glad for them that they writ not
in their lives, for that must have occasioned
tumult, and contempt, against so high and
Soveraign persons. But that doth not
enough excuse them to me, for writing so
after their death; for that was ignoble, and
uselesse, though they did a little escape the
nature of libels, by being subscribed and a-
vowed: which excuse would not have
served in the Star-chamber, where sealed Letters
92Letters to severall
Letters have been judged Libels; but these
of which we speake at this present, are ca-
pable of no excuse, no amolishment, and
therefore I cry you mercy, and my self too,
for disliking them, with so much diligence,
for they deserve not that. But Sir, you see
by this, and by my Letter of last week, from
hence the peremptory barrennesse of this
place, from whence we can write nothing
into England, but of that which comes from
thence. Till the Lady Worster came hither,
I had never heard any thing to make me
imagine that Sir Rob. Rich was in England;
the first hour that I had knowledge of it, I
kisse his hands by this Letter. I make ac-
count to be in London, transitorily, about the
end of August. You shall do me much fa-
vour, if I may finde a Letter from you (if
you shall not then be there) at the Lady
Bartlets: I shall come home in much igno-
rance, nor would I discern home by a bet-
ter light, or any other then you. I can glo-
ry of nothing in this voyage, but that I have
afflicted my Lady Bedford with few Letters. I
Persons of Honour.93
I protest earnestly to you, it troubles me
much more to dispatch a pacquet into Eng-
land, without a Letter to her, then it would
to put in three. But I have been heretofore
too immodest towards her, and I suffer this
Purgatory for it. We make account to leave
this place within 8 or 10 days, and hence
to make our best haste to the Count Maurice,
where we think to finde again the young
Palatine: all this I tell you only because
when you know, that we shall run too fast
to write any more Letters, you may easily
pardon the importunities and impertinen-
cies of this, and cast into no lower place of
your love Spâ, 26 July here
1612
Your very true friend and servant
J. Donne. To my Lord G. H. SIR, II Amam near the execution of that purpose
for France; though I may have other ends,
yet if it do but keep me awake, it recom-
penses
94Letters to severall penses me well. I am now in the after-
noon of my life, and then it is unwhole-
some to sleep. It is ill to look back, or give
over in a course; but worse never to set
out. I speake to you at this time of depar-
ting, as I should do at my last upon my
death-bed; and I desire to deliver into
your hands a heart and affections, as inno-
cent towards you, as I shall to deliver my
soul into Gods hands then. I say not this
out of diffidence, as though you doubted it,
or that this should look like such an excuse,
as implyed an accusation; but because my
fortune hath burdened you so, as I could
not rectifie it before my going, my consci-
ence and interpretation (severer I hope then
yours towards my self) calls that a kinde of
demerit, but God who hath not only af-
forded us a way to be delivered from our
great many debts, contracted by our Exe-
cutorship to Adam, but also another for our
particular debts after, hath not left poor
men unprovided, for discharge of morall
and civill debts; in which, acknowledge-
ment
Persons of Honour.95 ment, and thankfulnesse is the same, as re-
pentance and contrition is in spiritual debts:
and though the value and dignity of all
these be not perchance in the things, but in
the acceptance, yet I cannot doubt of it,
either in God, or you. But Sir, because
there is some degree of thankfulnesse in
asking more (for that confesses all former
obligations, and a desire to be still in the
same dependency) I must intreat you to
continue that wherein you have most ex-
pressed your love to me, which is, to main-
tain me in the same room in my Lady Bed-
fords opinion, in the which you placed me.
I professe to you that I am too much bound
to her, for expressing every way her care of
my fortune, that I am weary before she is;
and out of a loathnesse, that so good works
should be bestowed upon so ill stuffe, or that
so much ill fortune should be mingled with
hers, as that she should misse any thing that
she desire, though it were but for me; I
am willing to depart from farther exerci-
sing her indevours in that kinde I shall be bold
96Letters to severall
bold to deliver my poor Letters to her La-
diships hands, through yours, whilest I am
abroad though I shall ever account my
self at home, whilest I am in your me-
mory. Your affectionate servant and lover
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. SIR, NAture hath made all bodies alike, by
mingling and kneading up the same
elements in every one. And amongst men,
the other nature, Custome, hath made every
minde like some other; we are patterns, or
copies, we informe, or imitate. But as he
hath not presently attained to write a good
hand, which hath equalled one excellent
Master in his A, another in his B, much
lesse he which hath fought all the excellent
Masters, and imployed all his time to ex-
ceed in one Letter, because not so much an
excellency of any, not every one, as an even-
nesse and proportion, and respect to one another
Persons of Honour.97
another gives the perfection: so is no man
vertuous by particular example. Not he
that doth all actions to the pattern of the
most valiant, or liberall, which Histories
afford: nor he which chuses from every
one their best actions, and thereupon doth
something like those. Perchance such may
be in via perficiendorum, which Divines al-
low to Monasticall life, but not perfectorum,
which by them is only due to Prelacy. For
vertue is even, and continuall, and the same,
and can therefore break no where, nor ad-
mit ends, nor beginnings; it is not only
not broken, but not tyed together. He is
not vertuous, out of whose actions you can
pick an excellent one. Vice and her fruits
may be seen, because they are thick bodies,
but not vertue, which is all light, and vices
have swellings and fits, and noise, because
being extreams, they dwell far asunder, and
they maintain both a forein war against
vertue, and a civill against one another, and
affect Soveraignty, as vertue doth society.
The later Physicians say, that when our naturall
98Letters to severall
naturall inborn preservative is corrupted or
wasted, and must be restored by a like ex-
tracted from other bodies; the chief care is
that the Mummy have in it no excelling
quality, but an equally digested temper:
And such is true vertue. But men who
have preferred money before all, think they
deal honourably with vertue, if they com-
pare her with money: And think that as
money is not called base, till the allay exceed
the pure; so they are vertuous enough, if
they have enough to make their actions scur-
rant, which is, if either they get praise, or
(in a lower abasing) if they incurre not
infamy or penalty. But you know who
said, Angusta innocentia est ad legem bonum esse:
which rule being given for positive Laws,
severe mistakers apply even to Gods Law,
and (perchance against his Command-
ment) binde themselves to his Counsails,
beyond his Laws. But they are worse, that
thinke that because some men formerly
wastfull, live better with half their rents
then they did with all, being now advanta-
ged
Persons of Honour.99 ged with discretion and experience, there-
fore our times need lesse moral vertue then
the first, because we have Christianity,
which is the use and application of all ver-
tue: as though our religion were but an art
of thrift, to make a little vertue go far. For
as plentifull springs are fittest, and best be-
come large Aqueducts, so doth much vertue
such afteward and officer as a Christian. But
I must not give you a Homily for a Letter. I
said a great while since, that custome made
men like; we who have been accustomed
to one another are like in this, that we love
not businesse: this therefore shall not be
to you nor me a busie Letter. I end with a
probleme, whose errand is, to aske for his
fellowes. I pray before you ingulfe your
self in the progresse, leave them for me, and
such other of my papers as you will lend
me till you return. And besides this Alle-
goricall lending, lend me truely your coun-
sails, and love God and me, whilest I love
him and you. To
100Letters to severall To my very true and very good friend
Sir Henry Goodere. SIR, ATAt some later reading, I was more af-
fected with that part of your Letter,
which is of the book, and the namelesse
Letters, then at first. I am not sorry, for
that affection were for a jealousie or suspici-
on of a flexibilty in you. But I am angry,
that any should think, you had in your Re-
ligion peccant humours, defective, or
abundant, or that such a booke, (if
I mistake it not) should be able to work
upon you; my comfort is, that their judg-
ment is too weak to endanger you, since
by this is confesses, that it mistakes you, in
thinking you irresolved or various: yet let
me be bold to fear, that that sound true opi-
nion, that in all Christian professions there
is way to salvation (which I think you
think) may have been so incommodiously
or intempestively sometimes uttered by
you; or else your having friends equally near
Persons of Honour.101
near you of all the impresssions of Religion,
may have testified such an indifferency, as
hath occasioned some to further such incli-
nations, as they have mistaken to be in you.
This I have feared, because hertofore the in-
obedient Puritans, and now the over-obe-
dient Papists attempt you. It hath hurt ve-
ry many, not in their conscience, nor ends,
but in their reputation, and ways, that o-
thers have thought them fit to be wrought
upon. As some bodies are as wholesomly
nourished as ours, with Akornes, and en-
dure nakednesse, both which would be
dangerous to us, if we for them should leave
our former habits, though theirs were the
Primitive diet and custome: so are many
souls well fed with such formes, and dres-
sings of Religion, as would distemper and
misbecome us, and make us corrupt to-
wards God, if any humane circumstance
moved it, and in the opinion of men,
though none. You shall seldome see a
Coyne, upon which the stamp were re-
moved, though to imprint it better, but it looks
102Letters to severall
looks awry and squint. And so, for the
most part, do mindes which have received
divers impressions. I will not, nor need to
you, compare the Religions. The channels
of Gods mercies run through both fields;
and they are sister teats of his graces, yet both
diseased and infected, but not both alike.
And I think, that as Copernicisme in the Ma-
thematiques hath carried earth farther up,
from the stupid Center; and yet not ho-
noured it, nor advantaged it, because for the
necessity of appearances, it hath carried
heaven so much higher from it: so the Roman
profession seems to exhale, and refine our
wills from earthly Drugs, and Lees, more
then the Reformed, and so seems to bring
us nearer heaven; but then that carries
heaven farther from us, by making us pass
so many Courts, and Offices of Saints in
this life, in all our petitions, and lying in a
painfull prison in the next, during the plea-
sure, not of him to whom we go, and who
must be our Judge, but of them from
whom we come, who know not our case. Sir
Persons of Honour.103
Sir, as I said last time, labour to keep your
alacrity and dignity, in an even temper:
for in a dark sadnesse, indifferent things
seem abominable, or necessary, being nei-
ther; as trees, and sheep to melancholique
night-walkers have unproper shapes. And
when you descend to satisfie all men in
your own religion, or to excuse others to al;
you prostitute your self and your under-
standing, though not a prey, yet a mark,
and a hope, and a subject, for every sophi-
ster in Religion to work on. For the other
part of your Letter, spent in the praise of
the Countesse, I am always very apt to be-
leeve it of her, and can never beleeve it so
well, and so reasonably, as now, when it
is averred by you; but for the expressing
it to her, in that sort as you seem to coun-
saile, I have these two reasons to decline it.
That that knowledge which she hath of
me, was in the beginning of a graver course,
then of a Poet, into which (that I may al-
so keep my dignity) I would not seem to
relapse. The Spanish proverb informes me,
104Letters to severall
me, that he is a fool which cannot make
one Sonnet, and he is mad which makes
two. The other stronger reason, is my in-
tegrity to the other Countesse, of whose
worthinesse though I swallowed your opi-
nion at first upon your words, yet I have
had since an explicit faith, and now a
knowledge: and for her delight (since she
descends to them) I had reserved not only
all the verses, which I should make, but all
the thoughts of womens worthinesse. But
because I hope she will not disdain, that I
should write well of her Picture, I have o-
beyed you thus far, as to write: but intreat
you by your friendship, that by this occasi-
on of versifying, I be not traduced, nor
esteemed light in that Tribe, and that house
where I have lived. If those reasons which
moved you to bid me write be not con-
stant in you still, or if you meant not that I
should write verses; of if these verses be too
bad, or too good, over or under her under-
standing, and not fit; I pray receive them,
as a companion and supplement of this Letter
Persons of Honour.105
Letter to you; and as such a token as I use
to send, which use, because I wish rather
they should serve (except you wish other-
wise) I send no other; but after I have told
you, that here at a Christning at Peckam, you
are remembred by divers of ours, and I
commanded to you so, I kisse your
hands, and so seal to you my pure love,
which I would not refuse to do by any la-
bour or danger. Your very true friend and servant
J. Donne. To Sr G. M. IFIf you were here, you would not think
me importune, if I bid you good mor-
row every day; and such a patience will ex-
cuse my often Letters. No other kinde of
conveyance is better for knowledge, or
love: What treasures of Morall knowledge
are in Senecaes Letters to onely one Lucilius?
and what of Naturall in Plinies? how much
of the storie of the time, is in Ciceroes Let-
ters?
106Letters to severall ters? And how all of these times, in the
Jesuites Eastern and Western Epistles?
where can we finde so perfect a Character
of Phalaris, as in his own Letters, which
are almost so many writs of Execution? Or
of Brutus, as in his privie seals for monie?
The Evangiles and Acts, teach us what to
beleeve, but the Epistles of the Apostles
what to do. And those who have endeavou-
red to dignifie Seneca above his worth, have
no way fitter, then to imagine Letters be-
tween him and S. Paul. As they think also
that they have expressed an excellent person,
in that Letter which they obtrude, from
our B. Saviour to King Agabarus. The Ita-
lians, which are most discursive, and think
the world owes them all wisdome, abound
so much in this kinde of expressing, that
Michel Montaigne saies, he hath seen, (as I re-
member) 400 volumes of Italian Letters.
But it is the other capacity which must
make mine acceptable, that they are also
the best conveyors of love. But, though
all knowledge be in those Authors already, yet,
Persons of Honour.107
yet, as some poisons, and some medicines,
hurt not, nor profit, except the creature in
which they reside, contribute their lively
activitie, and vigor; so, much of the know-
ledge buried in Books perisheth, and be-
comes ineffectuall, if it be not applied, and
refreshed by a companion, or friend. Much
of their goodnesse, hath the same period,
which some Physicians of Italy have ob-
served to be in the biting of their Tarentola,
that it affects no longer, then the flie lives.
For with how much desire we read the pa-
pers of any living now, (especially friends)
which we would scarce allow a boxe in
our cabinet, or shelf in our Library, if they
were dead? And we do justly in it, for the
writings and words of men present, we
may examine, controll, and expostulate,
and receive satisfaction from the authors;
but the other we must beleeve, or discredit;
they present no mean. Since then at this
time, I am upon the stage, you may be con-
tent to hear me. And now that perchance I
have brought you to it, (as Thom. Badger did the
108Letters to severall
the King) now I have nothing to say. And
it is well, for the Letter is already long e-
nough, else let this probleme supply, which
was occasioned by you, of women wea-
ring stones; which, it seems, you were
afraid women should read, because you
avert them at the beginning, with a prote-
station of cleanlinesse. Martiall found no
way fitter to draw the Roman Matrons to
read one of his Books, which he thinks
most morall and cleanly, then to counsell
them by the first Epigram to skip the Book,
because it was obscene. But either you
write not at all for women, or for those of
sincerer palates. Though their unworthi-
nesse, and your own ease be advocates for
me with you, yet I must adde my entreaty,
that you let goe no copy of my Problems,
till I review them. If it be too late, at least
be able to tell me who hath them. Yours,
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.109 To Sr H. G. II Sendsend not my Letters as tribute, nor inte-
rest, not recompense, nor for commerce,
nor as testimonials of my love, nor provo-
kers of yours, nor to justifie my custome of
writing, nor for a vent and utterance of my
meditations; for my Letters are either a-
bove or under all such offices; yet I write
very affectionately, and I chide and accuse
my self of diminishing that affection which
sends them, when I ask my self why: one-
ly I am sure that I desire that you might
have in your hands Letters of mine of all
kindes, as conveyances and deliverers of me
to you, whether you accept me as a friend,
or as a patient, or as a penitent, or as a
beadsman, for I decline no jurisdiction,
or refuse any tenure. I would not open any
doore upon you, but look in when you
open it. Angels have not, nor affect not
other knowledge of one another, then they
lift to reveal to one another. It is then in
this onely, that friends are Angels, that they are
110Letters to severall
are capable and fit for such revelations
when they are offered. If at any time I
seem to studie you more inquisitively, it is
for no other end but to know how to pre-
sent you to God in my prayers, and what
to ask of him for you; for even that holy
exercise may not be done inopportunely, no
nor importunely. I finde little errour in
that Grecians counsell, who saies, If thou
ask any think of God, offer no sacrifice, nor
ask elegantly, nor vehemently, but remem-
ber that thou wouldest not give to such an
asker: Nor in his other Countriman, who
affirms sacrifice of blood to be so unpro-
portionable to God, that perfumes, though
much more spirituall, are too grosse. Yea
words which are our subtillest and delica-
test outward creatures, being composed of
thoughts and breath, are so muddie, so
thick, that our thoughts themselves are so,
because (except at the first rising) they are
ever leavened with passions and affections:
And that advantage of nearer familiarity
with God, which the act of incarnation gave
Persons of Honour.111
gave us, is grounded upon Gods assu-
ming us, not our going to him. And, our
accesses to his presence are but his descents
into us; and when we get any thing by
prayer, he gave us before hand the thing
and the petition. For, I scarce think any
ineffectuall prayer free from both sin, and
the punishment of sin: yet as God seposed
a seventh of our time for his exterior wor-
ship, and as his Christian Church early
presented him a type of the whole year in a
Lent, and after imposed the obligation of
canonique hours, constituting thereby mo-
rall Sabbaths every day; I am farre from
dehorting those fixed devotions: But I
had rather it were bestowed upon thanks-
giving then petition, upon praise then pray-
er; not that God is indeared by that, or
wearied by this; all is one in the receiver,
but not in the sender: and thanks doth
both offices; for, nothing doth so inno-
cently provoke new graces, as gratitude. I
would also rather make short prayers then
extend them, though God can neither be sur
112Letters to severall
surprised, nor besieged; for, long prayers
have more of the man, as ambition of elo-
quence, and a complacencie in the work,
and more of the Devil by often distracti-
ons: for, after in the beginning we have
well intreated God to hearken, we speak no
more to him. Even this Letter is some ex-
ample of such infirmitie, which being in-
tended for a Letter, is extended and strayed
into a Homilie. And whatsoever is not
what it was purposed, is worse, therefore
it shall at last end like a Letter by assuring
you I am To your selfe. SIR, SIr Germander Pool, your noble friend and
fellow in Armes, hath been at this
house. I finde by their diligent inquiring
from me, that he hath assured them that he
hath much advanced your proceeding, by
his resignation; but cooled them again
with this, that the L. Spencer pretends in his
Persons of Honour.113
his room. I never feared his, nor any mans
diligence in that; I feared onely your re-
misnesse, because you have a fortune that
can endure, and a nature that can almost
be content to misse. But I had rather you
exercised your Philosophy and evennesse in
some things else. He hath not nothing
which falls cleanly and harmelesly; but he
wrastles better which stands. I know you
can easily forgive your self any negligences
and slacknesses, but I am glad that you are
ingaged to so many friends, who either by
your self, or fame have knowledge of it.
In all the rest of them there is a worthinesse,
and in me a love which deserves to be sa-
tisfied. In this therefore, as you are forward
in all things else, be content to do more for
your friends then you would for your self;
endevour it, that is effect it. Tuesday.
Your very true friend and lover
J. Donne. To
114Letters to severall To Sir H. G. SIR, IN the History or style of friendship,
which is best written both in deeds and
words, a Letter which is of a mixed nature,
and hath something of both, is a mixed Pa-
renthesis: It may be left out, yet it contri-
butes, though not to the being, yet to the
verdure, and freshnesse thereof. Letters
have truly the same office, as oaths. As these
amongst light and empty men, are but fil-
lings, and pauses, and interjections; but
with weightier, they are sad attestations: So
are Letters to some complement, and obli-
gation to others. For mine, as I never au-
thorized my servant to lie in my behalfe,
(for if it were officious in him, it might be
worse in me) so I allow my Letters much
lesse that civill dishonesty, both because they
go from me more considerately, and be
cause they are permanent; for in them I may
speak to you in your chamber a year hence
before I know not whom, and not hear my self.
Persons of Honour.115
self. They shall therefore ever keep the sin-
cerity and intemeratenesse of the fountain,
whence they are derived. And as whereso-
ever these leaves fall, the root is in my heart,
so shall they, as that sucks good affections
towards you there, have ever true impressi
ons thereof. Thus much information is
in very leaves, that they can tell what the
tree is, and these can tell you I am a friend,
and an honest man. Of what generall use,
the fruit should speake, and I have none:
and of what particular profit to you, your
application and experimenting should tell
you, and you can make none of such a no-
thing; yet even of barren Sycamores, such
as I, there were use, if either any light flash-
ings, or scorching vehemencies, or sudden
showres made you need so shadowy an
example or remembrancer. But (Sir) your
fortune and minde do you this happy in-
jury, that they make all kinde of fruits use-
lesse unto you; Therefore I have placed
my love wisely where I need communicate
nothing. All this, though perchance you read
116Letters to severall
read it not till Michaelmas, was told you at
Micham, 15. August. 1607. To my most worthy friend Sir Henry Goodere. SIR, BEcauseBecause evennesse conduces as much to
strength and firmnesse as greatnesse
doth, I would not discontinue my course
of writing. It is a sacrifice, which though
friends need not, friendship doth; which
hath in it so much divinity, that as we must
be ever equally disposed inwardly so to
doe or suffer for it, so we must sepose some
certain times for the outward service there-
of, though it be but formall and testimoni-
all: that time to me towards you is Tuesday,
and my Temple, the Rose in Smith-field.
If I were by your appointment your Refe-
rendarie for news, I should write but short
Letters, because the times are barren. The
low Countries, which used to be the Mart
of news for this season, suffering also, or ra-
ther enjoying a vacation. Since therefore I am
Persons of Honour.117
am but mine own Secretary (and what's
that?) I were excusable if I writ nothing,
since I am so: Besides that, your much
knowledge brings you this disadvantage,
that as stomachs accustomed to delicacies,
finde nothing new or pleasing to
them when they are sick; so you can hear
nothing from me (though the Countrey
perchance make you hungry) which you
know not. Therefore in stead of a Letter to
you, I send you one to another, to the best
Lady, who did me the honour to acknow-
ledge the receit of one of mine, by one of
hers; and who only hath power to cast
the fetters of verse upon my free meditati-
ons: It should give you some delight, and
some comfort, because you are the first
which see it, and it is the last which you
shall see of this kinde from me. Micham the
14 August.
Your very affectionate lover and servant
J. Donne. To
118Letters to severall To Sir I. H. Sir, II Wouldwould not omit this, not Commodity,
but Advantage of writing to you. This
emptinesse in London, dignifies any Letter
from hence, as in the seasons, earlinesse and
latenesse, makes the sowrenesse, and after
the sweetnesse of fruits acceptable and gra-
cious. We often excuse and advance mean
Authors, by the age in which they lived,
so will your love do this Letter; and you
will tell your self, that if he which writ it
knew wherein he might expresse his affecti-
on, or any thing which might have made
his Letter welcommer, he would have done
it. As it is, you may accept it so, as we do
many China manufactures, of which
when we know no use, yet we satisfie our
curiosity in considering them, because we
knew not how, nor of what matter they
were made. Near great woods and quar-
ies it is no wonder to see faire houses,
but in Holland which wants both, it is. So
Persons of Honour.119
So were it for me who am as farre removed
from Court, and knowledge of forein pas-
sages, as this City is now from the face and
furniture of a City, to build up a long Letter
and to write of my self, were but to inclose
a poor handfull of straw for a token in a
Letter yet I will tell you, that I am at London
onely to provide for Monday, when I
shall use that favour which my Lady Bed-
ford hath afforded me, of giving her name
to my daughter; which I mention to you,
as well to shew that I covet any occasion of
a gratefull speaking of her favours, as that,
because I have thought the day is likely to
bring you to London, I might tell you, that
my poor house is in your way and you
shall then finde such company, as (I think)
you will not be loath to accompany to
London. 6 Aug. 1608.
Your very true friend
J. Donne. To
120Letters to severall To Sir H. Wootton. SIR, THat which is at first but a visitation,
and a civill office, comes quickly to
be a haunting, and an uncivill importunity:
my often writing might be subject to such
a misinterpretation, if it were not to you,
who as you know that the affection which
suggests and dictates them, is ever one, and
continuall, and uninterrupted; may be
pleased to think my Letters so too, and that
all the pieces make but one long Letter, and
so I know you would not grudge to read
any intire book of mine, at that pace, as
you do my Letters, which is a leafe a week:
especially such Letters as mine, which (per-
chance out of the dulnesse of the place) are
so empty of any relations, as that they op-
presse not your meditations, nor discourse,
nor memory. You know that for aire we
are sure we apprehend and enjoy it, but
when this aire is rarified into fire, we begin
to dispute whether it be an element, or no: so
Persons of Honour.121
so when Letters have a convenient hand-
some body of news, they are Letters; but
when they are spun out of nothing, they are
nothing, or but apparitions, and ghosts,
with such hollow sounds, as he that hears
them, knows not what they said. You (I
think) and I am much of one sect in the
Philosophy of love; which though it be
directed upon the minde, doth inhere in the
body, and find piety entertainment there: so
have Letters for their principall office, to be
seals and testimonies of mutuall affection,
but the materialls and fuell of them should
be a confident and mutuall communicating
of those things which we know. How
shall I then who know nothing write Let-
ters? Sir, I learn knowledge of enough out of
yours to me. I learn that there is truth
and firmnesse and an earnestnesse of doing
good alive in the world; and therefore, since
there is so good company in it, I have not
so much desire to go out of it, as I had, if
my fortune would afford me any room in
it. You know I have been no coward, nor un-
122Letters to severall
unindustrious in attempting that; nor
will I give it over yet. If at last, I must
confesse, that I dyed ten years ago,
yet as the Primitive Church admitted
some of the Jews Ceremonies, nor for perpe-
tuall use, but because they would bury the
Synagogue honourably, though I dyed at a
blow then when my courses were diverted,
yet it will please me a little to have had a long
funerall, and to have kept my self so long a-
bove ground without putrefaction. But this
is melancholique discourse; To change
therefore from this Metaphoricall death to
the true, and that with a little more relish
of mirth, let me tell you the good nature of
the executioneer of Paris: who when Vatan
was beheaded, (who dying in the profes-
sion of the Religion, had made his peace
with God in the prison, and so said nothing
at the place of execution) swore he had ra-
ther execute forty Huguenots, then one
Catholique, because the Huguenot used
so few words, and troubled him so little,
in respect of the dilatory ceremonies of the others
Persons of Honour.123
others, in dying. Cotton the great Court Je-
suite hath so importuned the Q. to give
some modifications to the late interlocuto-
ry arrest against the Jesuits, that in his pre-
sence, the C. Soisons, who had been present in
the Court at the time of the arrest, and Ser-
vin the Kings Advocate, who urged it,
and the Premier president, were sent for:
They came so well provided with their
books, out of which they assigned to the Q.
so many, so evident places of seditious
doctrine, that the Q. was well satisfied,
that it was fit by all means to provide a-
gainst the teaching of the like doctrine in
France. The D. of Espernon is come to Paris,
with (they say) 600 horse in his train; all
which company, came with him into the
Court: which is an insolency remarkable
here. They say that scarce any of the Princes
appear in the streets, but with very great
trains. No one enemy could wast the trea-
sures of France so much, as so many friends
do: for the Q. dares scarce deny any, that so
she may have the better leave to make haste to
124Letters to severall
to advance her Marquis of Ancre, of whose
greatnesse, for matter of command, or
danger, they have no great fear, he being
no very capable nor stirring man: and
then for his drawing of great benefits from
the Q. they make the use of it, that their
suits passe with lesse opposition. I beleeve
the treasure is scattered, because I see the
future receipt charged with so very many
and great pensions. The Q. hath adventu-
red a little to stop this rage of the Princes
importunity, by denying a late suit of Sois-
sons: which though the other Princes
grudge not that Soisson should faile, for he
hath drawn infinite sums already, yet they
resent it somewhat tenderly, that any of
them should be denyed, when the Marquis
obtains. That which was much observed
in the Kings more childish age, when I
was last here, by those whom his father
appointed to judge, by an assiduous obser-
vation, his naturall inclination, is more and
more confirmed, that his inclinations are
cruell, and tyrannous; and when he is any any
Persons of Honour.125
way affected, his stammering is so ex-
treme, as he can utter nothing. They can-
not draw him to look upon a son of the
Marquis, whom they have put into his ser-
vice. And he was so extremely affectionate
towards the younger son of Beaufort, that
they have removed him to a charge which
he hath, as he is made Prieur of Malta; but
yet there passe such Letters between them,
by stealth and practise, as (though it be be-
tween children) it is become a matter of
State, and much diligence used to prevent
the Letters. For the young Marquis of Ver-
vueil, the K. speaks often of transplan-
ting him into the Church, and once this
Christmas delighted himself to see his
young brother in a Cardinalls habit. Sir,
it is time to take up, for I know, that any
thing, from this place, as soon as it is cer-
tain, is stale. I have been a great while
more mannerly towards my Lady Bedford,
then to trouble her with any of mine own
verses, but having found these French ver-
ses accompanied with a great deal of repu-
tation
126Letters to severall tation here, I could not forbear to aske her
leave to send them: I writ to you by Mr.
Pory the 17 of Jan. here, and he carried that
Letter to Paris, to gather news, like a snow-
ball. He told me that Pindar is gone to Con-
stantinople with Commission to remove and
succeed Glover: I am afraid you have neg-
lected that businesse. Continue me in M.
Martins good opinion: I know I shall ne-
ver fall from it, by any demerit of mine, and
I know I need not fear it, out of any slack-
nesse or slipperinesse in him, but much bu-
sinesse may strangle me in him. When it
shall not trouble you to write to me, I pray
do me the favour to tell me, how many you
have received from me, for I have now
much just reason to imagine, that some of
my Pacquets have had more honour then
I wished them: which is to be delivered
into the hands of greater personages, then I
addressed them unto. Hold me still in your
own love, and proceed in that noble testi-
mony of it, of which your Letter by M.
Pory spoke, (which is the only Letter that I
Persons of Honour.127
I have received, since I came away) and
beleeve me that I shall ever with much af-
fection, and much devotion joine both
your fortune and you last best happinesse,
with the desire of mine own in all my ci-
vill, and divine wishes, as the only retri-
bution in the power of Your affectionate servant
Jo. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir H. Goodere. SIR, IFIf I would go out of my way for excuses,
or if I did not go out of my way from
them; I might avoid writing now because
I cannot chuse but know, that you have in
this town abler servants, and better under-
standing the persons and passages of this
Court. But my hope is not in the applica-
tion of other mens merits, to me however
abundant. Besides, this town hath since our
comming hither, afforded enough for all
to say. That which was done here the 25
of March, and which was so long called a pub-
128Letters to severall
publication of the marriages, was no o-
therwise publique then that the Spa. Ambas-
sador, having that day an audience delive-
red to the Queen that his Master was well
pleased with all those particulars which had
been formerly treated. And the French Am-
bassador in Spain is said to have had in-
struction, to do the same office in that
Court, the same day. Since that, that is to
say, these 4 days, it hath been solemni-
zed with more outward bravery then this
Court is remembred to have appeared in.
The main bravery was the number of
horses which were above 800 Caparazond.
Before the daies, the town was full of the
5 Challengers cartells, full of Rodomonta-
des: but in the execution, there were no
personall reencounters, nor other triall of
any ability, then running at the Quintain,
and the Ring. Other particulars of this, you
cannot chuse but hear too much, since at this
time there come to you so many French men.
But lest you should beleeve too much, I
present you these 2 precautions, that for their Geu
Persons of Honour.129
Gendarmery, there was no other trial then I
told you; & for their bravery, no true stuffe.
You must of necessity have heard often
of a Book written against the Popes juris-
diction, about three moneths since, by one
Richer, a Dr and Syndique of the Sorbonists,
which Book hath now been censured by
an assembly of the Clergie of this Archbi-
shoprick, promoved with so much dili-
gence by the Cardinall Peroun, that for this
businesse he hath intermitted his replie to
the Kings answer, which now he retires to
intend seriously: I have not yet had the ho-
nour to kisse his Graces hand, though I
have received some half-invitations to do
it. Richer was first accused to the Parlia-
ment, but when it was there required of
his delators to insist upon some propositi-
ons in his Book, which were either against
Scripture, or the Gallican Church, they de-
sisted in that pursuit. But in the censure
which the Clergie hath made, though it be
full of modifications and reservations of
the rights of the King, and the Gallican Chur-
130Letters to severall
Churches, there is this iniquitie, that being
to be published by commandement of the
Assembly, in all the Churches of Paris,
which is within that Diocese, and almost
all the Curates of the Parishes of Paris be-
ing Sorbonists, there is by this means a
strong party of the Sorbonists themselves
raised against Richer; yet against this cen-
sure, and against three or four which have
opposed Richer in print, he meditates an an-
swer. Before it should come forth I desired
to speake with him, for I had said to some
of the Sorbonist of his party, that there was
no proposition in his Book, which I could
not shew in Catholique authors of 300
years: I had from him an assignation to
meet, and at the hour he sent me his excuse,
which was, that he had been traduced to
have had conference with the Ambassadors
of England; and the States, and with the D.
of Bouillon, and that he had accepted a pen-
sion of the King of England; and withall,
that it had been very well testified to him
that day, that the Jesuits had offered to cor-
rupt
Persons of Honour.131 rupt men with rewards to kill him. Which
I doubt not but he apprehended for true,
because a messenger whom I sent to fixe
another time of meeting with him, found
him in an extreme trembling, and irreso-
lutions: so that I had no more, but an in-
treaty to forbear comming to his house, or
drawing him out of it, till it might be
without danger or observation. They of
the Religion held a Synod at this time in
this Town, in which the principall busi-
nesse is to rectifie, or at least to mature,
against their Provinciall Synod, which
shall be held in May, certain opinions of Ti-
lenus a Divine of Sedan, with which the
Churches of France are scandalized. The
chief point is, Whether our salvation be to
be attributed to the passive merit of Christ,
which is his death, or to his active also,
which is his fulfilling of the Law. But I
doubt not but that will be well composed,
if Tilenus who is here in person with two
other assistants, bring any disposition to
submit himself to the Synod, and not onely to
132Letters to severall
to dispute. I doe (I thank God) naturally
and heartily abhorre all schism in Religion
so much, as, I protest, I am sorry to finde
this appearance of schism amongst our ad-
versaries the Sorbonists; for I had rather
they had held together, to have made a head
against the usurpations of the Ro. Church,
then that their disuniting should so enfeeble
them, as that the Parliament should be left
alone to stand against those tyrannies. Sir,
you will pardon my extravagancies in these
relations. I look upon nothing so intentive-
ly as these things, nor fals there any thing
within my knowledge, which I would
conceal from you Though it concern not
you to know it, yet me thinks it concerns
me to tell it. That Cook of which you writ
to me, is come hither, and hath brought me
other Letters, but not those of which you
writ to me, which pacquet, he saies, you
received again of him; whether by his fals-
hood, or by your diligence in seeking a
worthier messenger, I know not; but I am
sure I never lost any thing with more sor-
row,
Persons of Honour.133 row, because I am thereby left still in uncer-
tainties, and irresolutions, of that which I
desire much to know in womens busines-
ses. If you write this way any more, chuse
no other means, then by Mr Bruer at the
Queens Arms a Mercer in Cheapside: he
shall alwaies know where we are, and we
are yet in a purpose to go from hence with-
in a fortnight, and dispose our selves to be
at Frankford the 25 of May, when the electi-
on of the Emperour shall be there. Though
I be meerly passive in all this pilgrimage,
yet I shall be willing to advance that de-
sign; because upon my promise that I
would doe so, Sir Rob. Rich gave me his,
that he would divert from his way to Italy
so much, as to be there then. When I came
to this Town I found Mr Matthew, diligent
to finde a means to write to you; so that at
this time, when there go so many, I cannot
doubt but he provides himself, therefore I
did not ask his commandement, nor offer
him the service of this Pacquet. Sir, you
are not evener to your self, in your most gene-
134Letters to severall
generall wishes of you own good, then I
am in my particular, of which none rises
in me, that is not bent upon your enjoying
of peace and reposednesse in your fortunes,
in your affections, and in your conscience;
more then which I know not how to
wish to the 9 Apr.
1612. here.
Your very affectionate servant and
lover J. Donne. To Sir H. Wotton.
Octob. the 4th 1622. almost ad midnight. SIR, ALLAll our moralities are but our out-
works, our Christianity is our Citadel;
a man who considers duty but the dignity
of his being a man, is not easily beat from
his outworks, but from his Christianity
never; and therefore I dare trust you, who
contemplates them both. Every distem-
per of the body now, is complicated with
the spleen, and when we were young men we
Persons of Honour.135
we scarce ever heard of the spleen. In our
declinations now, every accident is accom-
panied with heavy clouds of melancholy;
and in our youth we never admitted any. It
is the spleen of the minde, and we are affe-
cted with vapors from thence; yet truly,
even this sadnesse that overtakes us, and this
yeelding to the sadnesse, is not so vehement
a poison (though it be no Physick neither)
as those false waies, in which we sought
our comforts in our looser daies. You are
able to make rules to your self, and our
B. Saviour continue to you an ability to
keep within those rules. And this particu-
lar occasion of your present sadnesse must
be helped by the rule, for, for examples you
will scarce finde any, scarce any that is not
encombred and distressed in his fortunes.
I had locked my self, sealed and secured my
self against all possibilities of falling into
new debts, and in good faith, this year hath
thrown me 400l lower then when I entred
this house. I am a Father as well as you,
and of children (I humbly thank God) of as
136Letters to severall
as good dispositions; and in saying so, I
make account that I have taken my com-
parison as high as I could goe; for in good
faith, I beleeve yours to be so: but as those
my daughters (who are capable of such
considerations) cannot but see my desire
to accommodate them in this world, so I
think they will not murmure if heaven
must be their Nunnery, and they associated
to the B. virgins there: I know they would
be content to passe their lives in a Prison,
rather then I should macerate my self for
them, much more to suffer the mediocrity
of my house, and my means, though that
cannot preferre them: yours are such too,
and it need not that patience, for your for-
tune doth not so farre exercise their pati-
ence. But to leave all in Gods hands,
from whose hands nothing can be wrung
by whining but by praying, nor by pray-
ing without the Fiat voluntas tua. Sir, you
are used to my hand, and, I think have lei-
sure to spend some time in picking out
sense, in ragges; else I had written lesse, and in
Persons of Honour.137
in longer time. Here is room for an Amen;
the prayer ---- so I am going to my
bedside to make for all you and all yours,
with Your true friend and servant in Chr. Jesus
J. Donne. A.V. Merced. SIR, II Writewrite to you out of my poor Libra-
ry, where to cast mine eye upon good
Authors kindles or refreshes sometimes
meditations not unfit to communicate to
near friends; nor from the high way,
where I am contracted, and inverted into
my self; which are my two ordinary for-
ges of Letters to you. But I write from the
fire side in my Parler, and in the noise of
three gamesome children;ii and by the side
of her, whom because I have transplanted
into a wretched fortune, I must labour to
disguise that from her by all such honest
devices, as giving her my company, and
discourse, therefore I steal from her, all the time
138Letters to severall
time which I give this Letter, and it is there-
fore that I take so short a list, and gallop so
fast over it, I have not been out of my house
since I received your pacquet. As I have
much quenched my senses, and disused my
body from pleasure, and so tried how I can
indure to be mine own grave, so I try now
how I can suffer a prison. And since it
is but to build one wall more about our
soul, she is still in her own Center, how
many circumferences soever fortune or our
own perversnesse cast about her. I would
I could as well intreat her to go out, as she
knows whither to go. But if I melt into a
melancholy whilest I write, I shall be taken
in the manner: and I sit by one too ten-
der towards these impressions, and it is so
much our duty, to avoid all occasions of
giving them sad apprehensions, as S. Hie-
rome accuses Adam of no other fault in eating
the Apple, but that he did it Ne contristaretur
delicias suas. I am not carefull what I write,
because the inclosed Letters may dignifie
this ill favoured bark, and they need not grudge
Persons of Honour.139
grudge so course a countenance, because
they are now to accompany themselves, my
man fetched them, and therefore I can say
no more of them then themselves say, Mris
Meauly intreated me by her Letter to hasten
hers; as I think, for my troth I cannot
read it. My Lady was dispatching in so
much haste for Twicknam, as she gave no
word to a Letter which I sent with yours;
of Sir Tho. Bartlet, I can say nothing, nor
of the plague, though your Letter bid me:
but that he diminishes, the other increases,
but in what proportion I am not clear. To
them at Hammersmith, and Mris Herbert I
will do your command. If I have been
good in hope, or can promise any little of-
fices in the future probably, it is comfor-
table, for I am the worst present man in the
world; yet the instant, though it be nothing,
joynes times together, and therefore this
unprofitableness, since I have been, and will
still indevour to be so, shall not interrupt
me now from being Your servant and lover J. Donne. To
140Letters to severall To the best Knight Sir H. Wootton. SIR, WHenWhen I saw your good Countesse
last, she let me think that her
message by her foot-man would hasten you
up. And it furthered that opinion in
me, when I knew how near M. Mathews
day of departing this kingdome was. To
counterpoyse both these, I have a little
Letter from you brought to me to Micham
yesterday, but left at my lodging two days
sooner: and because that speaks nothing
of your return, I am content to be perplex-
ed in it: and in all other, so in this
perplexity to do that which is safest.
To me it is safest to write, because it per-
formes a duty, and leaves my conscience
well: and though it seem not safest for the
Letter, which may perish, yet I remember,
that in the Crociate for the warres in the
Holy Land, and so in all Pilgrimages enter-
prised in devotion, he which dies in the
way, enjoyes all the benefit and indulgences which
Persons of Honour.141
which the end did afford. Howsoever, all
that can encrease the danger of your Let-
ter, encrease my merit; for, as where they
immolate men, it is a scanter devotion,
to sacrifice one of many slaves or of many
children, or an onely child, then to beget
and bring up one purposely to sacrifice it, s
so if I ordain this Letter purposely for de-
struction, it is the largest expressing of
that kinde of piety, and I am easie to beleeve
(because I wish it) your hast hither: Not
that I can fear any slacknesse in that business
which drew you down, because your for-
tune and honour are a paire of good spurs
to it; but here also you have both true
businesse and many Quasi negotia, which
go two and two to a businesse; which are
visitations, and such, as though they be not
full businesses, yet are so near them that they
serve as for excuses, in omissions of the o-
ther. As when abjurations was in use in
this land, the State and law was satisfied if
the abjuror came to the sea side, and waded
into the sea, when windes and tydes re-
sisted
142Letters to severall sisted, so we think our selves justly excusa-
ble to our friends and our selves, if when
we should do businesse, we come to the
place of businesse, as Courts and the houses
of great Princes and officers. I do not so
much intimate your infirmity in this, as
frankly confesse mine own. The master of
Latine language says, Oculi & aures aliorium te
speculantur & custodiunt. So those two words
are synonimous, & only the observation of
others upon me, is my preservation from
extream idlenesse, else I professe, that I hate
businesse so much, as I am sometimes glad
to remember, that the Roman Church reads
that verse A negotio perambulante in tenebris,
which we read from the pestilence wal-
king at night, so equall to me do the
plague and businesse deserve avoiding, but
you will neither beleeve that I abhor busi-
nesse, if I inlarge this Letter, nor that I
would afford you that ease which I affect,
Therefore returne to your pleasures. March 14. 1607.
Your unprofitablest friend
Jo. Donne. I
Persons of Honour.143 It is my third Letter: which I tell you,
because I found not Mr. Rogers, but left
the Letter which I sent last, with a stran-
ger at Cliffords Inne. 74 To Sir H. G. Sir, THisThis 14 of November last I received
yours of the 9, as I was in the street
going to sup with my Lady Bedford, I found
all that company forepossessed with a won-
der why you came not last saturday. I per-
ceive, that as your intermitting your Let-
ters to me, gave me reason to hope for you,
so some more direct addresse or conscience
of your businesse here, had imprinted in
them as assurance of your comming, this
Letter shall but talke, not discourse; it
shall but gossip, not consider, nor consult,
so it is made halfe with a prejudice of be-
ing lost by the way. The King is gone
this day for Royston: and hath left with the
Queen a commandment to meditate upon a
144Letters to severall
a Masque for Christmas, so that they grow
serious about that already; that will hasten
my Lady Bedfords journey, who goes with-
in ten days from hence to her Lord, but by
reason of this, can make no long stay there.
Justinian the Venetian is gone hence, and
one Carraw come in his place: that State
hath taken a fresh offence at a Friar, who
refused to absolve a Gentleman, because he
would not expresse in confession what
books of Father Paul, and such, he knew to
be in the hands of any others; the State com-
manded him out of that territory in three
hours warning, and he hath now submit-
ted himself, and is returned as prisoner for
Mantua, and so remains as yet. Sir H.
Wootton who writ hither, addes also that
upon his knowledge there are 14000 as
good Protestants as he in that State. The
Duke Joyeuse is dead, in Primont, returning
from Rome, where M. Mole who went with
the L. Rosse, is taken into the Inquisition,
and I see small hope of his recovery (for he
had in some translations of Plessis books talked
Persons of Honour.145
talked of Babylon and Antichrist. Except it
fall out that one Strange a Jesuit in the
Tower, may be accepted for him. To come
a little nearer my self, Sir Geffery Fenton one
of his Majesties Secretaries in Ireland is
dead; and I have made some offer for the
place, in preservation whereof, as I have
had occasion to imploy all my friends, so I
have not found in them all (except Bedford)
more hast and words (for when those two
are together, there is much comfort even in
the least) then in the L. Hay. In good
faith he promised so roundly, so abundant-
ly, so profusely, as I suspected him, but per-
formed what ever he undertook, (and my
requests were the measures of his under-
takings) so readily and truly, that his com-
plements became obligations, and having
spoke like a Courtier, did like a friend.
This I tell you, because being farre under
any ability of expressing my thankfulnesse
to him by any proportionall service, I do,
as much as I can, thank him by thanking
of you, who begot, or nursed these good im-
146Letters to severall
impressions of me in him. Sir, as my dis-
cretion would do, my fortune doth bring
all my debts into one hand, for I owe you
what ever Court friends do for me, yea,
whatsoever I do for my self, because you al-
most importune me, to awake and stare the
Court in the face. I know not yet what
conjecture to make of the event. But I am
content to go forward a little more in the
madnesse of missing rather then not pre-
tend; and rather wear out, then rust. It is
extreme late; and as this Letter is nothing,
so if ever it come to you, you will know it
without a name, and therefore I may end
it here. To the Honourable Knight Sir H. Goodere. SIR, THoughThough you escape my lifting up of
your latch by removing, you cannot
my Letters; yet of this Letter I do not much
accuse my self, for I serve your Command-
ment in it, for it is only to convey to you this
Persons of Honour.147
this papers opposed to those, with which
you trusted me. It is (I cannot say the waigh-
tyest, but truly) the saddest lucubration
and nights passage that ever I had. For it
exercised those hours, which, with extreme
danger of her, whom I should hardly have
abstained from recompensing for her
company in this world, with accompany-
ing her out of it, encreased my poor family
with a son. Though her anguish, and my
fears, and hopes, seem divers and wild di-
stractions from this small businesse of
your papers, yet because they all narrowed
themselves, and met in Via regia, which is
the consideration of our selves, and God,
I thought it time not unfit for this dispatch.
Thus much more then needed I have told
you, whilest my fire was lighting at Tri-
combs 10 a clock. Yours ever intirely
J. Donne. To
148Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight H. G. SIR, YOurYour Son left here a Letter for me,
from you. But I neither discern by it
that you have received any of mine lately;
which have been many, and large, and too
confident to be lost, especially since, (as I
remember) they always conveyed others
to that good Lady; neither do I know
where to finde, by any diligence, your sons
lodging. But I hope he will apprehend that
impossibility in me, and finde me here,
where he shall also finde as much readi-
nesse to serve him, as at Polesworth. This
Letter of yours makes me perceive, that
that Lady hath expressed her purpose to
you in particular, for the next term. Accor-
dingly, I make my promises: for since one
that meant but to flatter, told an Emperour,
that his benefits were to be reckoned from
the day of the promise, because he never
failed, it were an injury from me to the
constancy of that noble Lady, if I should not,
Persons of Honour.149
not, assoon as she promises, do some act
of assurance of the performance; which I
have done, as I say, in fixing times to my
creditors; for by the end of next terme, I
will make an end with the world, by Gods
grace. I lack you here, for my L. of Dorset,
he might make a cheap bargain with me
now, and disingage his honour, which in
good faith, is a little bound, because he ad-
mitted so many witnesses of his large dis-
position towards me. They are preparing
for a Masque of Gentlemen: in which M.
Villars is, and M. Karre, whom I told you
before my L. Chamberlain had brought
into the bed chamber. I pray, if you make
not so thick goings as you used, send this
Letter to that good woman, for it is not
only mine. If I could stay this Letter an
hour, I should send you something of Sa-
voy, for Sir Rob. Rich, who is now come
from Court, hath laid a commandment
upon me by message to waite upon him;
and I know his busines, because he never
sought me, but in one kinde. But the im-
portunity
150Letters to severall portunity of the houre excuses me, and deli-
vers you from further trouble from 13 Decemb.
Your very true friend and servant
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. SIR, II Lovelove to give you advantages upon me,
therefore I put my self in need of another
pardon from you, by not comming to you;
yet I am scarce guilty enough to spend
much of your vertue from you, because I
knew not of your being come till this your
Letter told me so, in the midst of dinner at
Peckham, this Monday. Sir, I am very truly
yours; if you have overvalued me in any ca-
pacity, I will do what I can to overtake your
hopes of me. I wish my self whatsoever you
wish me; and so I do, what ever you wish
your self. I am prisoner and close; else I
had not needed this pardon, for I long
much, and much more by occasion of your
Letter, to see you: when you finde that good
Persons of Honour.151
good Lady emptied of businesse and plea-
sure, present my humble thanks; you can
do me no favour, which I need not, nor
any, which I cannot have some hope to de-
serve, but this; for I have made her opinion
of me, the ballance by which I weigh my
self. I will come soon enough to deliver
my thanks to Sir J. Harr. for your ease,
whom I know I have pained with an ilfa-
voured Letter, but my heart hath one style,
and character; and is yours in wishing,
and in thankfulnesse. Peckham Monday afternoon.
J. Donne To the Honourable Sir R. D. Sir, II Gavegave no answer to the Letter I received
from you upon Tuesday, both because I
had in it no other commandment by it but
to deliver your Letter therein, which I did,
and because that Letter found me under
very much sadnesse, which (according to
the proportion of ills that fall upon me) is
152Letters to severall
is since also increased, so that I had not writ-
ten now, if I had been sure to have been
better able to write next week, which I have
not much appearance of: yet there was
committed to my disposition (that is, left
at my house in my absence) a Letter from
Sir W. Lover, but it was some hours after all
possibility of sending it by the carrier, so
that Mr. W. Stanhope giving me the ho-
nour of a visite at that time, and being in-
stantly to depart, for your parts, did me the
favour to undertake the delivery of it to
you. With me, Sir, it is thus, there is not
one person (beside my self) in my house
well. I have already lost half a child, and
with that mischance of hers, my wife fallen
into an indisposition, which would afflict
her much, but that the sicknesse of her chil-
dren stupefies her: of one of which, in
good faith, I have not much hope. This
meets a fortune so ill provided for physique
and such relief, that if God should ease us
with burialls, I know not well how to per-
forme even that. I flatter my self in this, that
Persons of Honour.153
that I am dying too: nor can I truly dye fa-
ster, by any waste, then by losse of children.
But Sir, I will mingle no more of my sad-
ness to you, but wil a little recompense it, by
telling you that my L. Harrington, of whom
a few days since they were doubtfull, is so
well recovered that now they know all his
disease to be the Pox, and Measels mingled.
This I heard yesterday: for I have not been
there yet. I came as near importunity as I
could, for an answer from Essex house, but
this was all, that he should see you shortly
himselfe. Your servant
J. Donne. I cannot tell you so much, as you tell
me, of any thing from my Lord of Som.
since the Epithalamion, for I heard
nothing. To
154Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight Sir H. Goodere. Sir, II Havehave but one excuse for not sending
you the Sermon that you do me the ho-
nour to command, and I foresee, that be-
fore I take my hand from this paper, I
shall lose the benefit of that excuse; it is,
that for more then twenty days, I have been
travelled with a pain, in my right wrist, so
like the Gout, as makes me unable to write.
The writing of this Letter will implore a
commentary for that, that I cannot write
legibly; for that I cannot write much, this
Letter will testifie against me. Sir, I be-
seech you, at first, tell your company, that I
decline not the service out of sullennesse
nor lazinesse, nor that any fortune damps
me so much, as that I am not sensible of the
honour of their commanding it, but a
meer inexperience whether I be able to
write eight hours or no; but I will try
next week, and either do it, for their ser-
vice,
Persons of Honour.155 vice, or sink in their service. This is Thurs-
day: and upon Tuesday my Lady Bedford
came to this town: this afternoon I presen-
ted my service to her, by Mris Withrington:
and so asked leave to have waited upon
them at supper: but my messenger found
them ready to go into their Coach: so that
a third Letter which I received from Mris
Dadley, referring me to Mris Withringtons re-
lation of all that State, I lose it till their
return to this town. To clear you in that
wherein I see by your Letter that I had not
well expressed my self in mine, Sir Ed.
Herbert writ to Sir Ed. Sackvil, not to presse
the King to fix any certain time of sending
him, till he was come over, and had spo-
ken with the King: Sir Ed. Sackvil col-
lects upon that, that Sir Ed. H. meanes to
go again; I think it is only, that he would
have his honour so saved, as not to seem to
be recalled, by having a successor, before he
had emptied the place. We hear nothing
from my Lord of Doncaster; nor have we
any way to send to him. I have not seen my
156Letters to severall
my Lady Doncaster, for the crost to Penhurst,
and from thence to Petworth, my Lady
Isabella came to this Town; where, before
her comming, a Letter attended her from
my Lady of Tichfield: and thither she
went, with their servants, who staid her
comming. Hither came lately Letters with
goodspeed from Vienna, in which there is no
mention of any such defeat, as in rumour
C. Mansfeld hath been said to have given
to the D. of Bavyer: but their forces were
then within such distance, as may have
procured something before this time. Those
which watched advantages in the Court
of the Emperour, have made that use of C.
Mansfelds proceedings, as that my Lord
Digby complains, that thereby, the forward-
nesse in which his negotiation was, is
somewhat retarded. He proceeds from
thence into Spain. The D. of Bavyer hath pre-
sented the Emperour an account of I2ooml.
sterling in that warre, to be reimbursed:
and finding the Palatinate to be in treaty,
hath required a great part of Austria for his security,
Persons of Honour.157
security, and they say, it is so transacted;
which is a good signe of a possibility in the
restitution of the Palatinate. For any thing I
discern, their fears are much greater from
Hungary, then from Bohemia; and the losse of
Canon, in a great proportion, and other
things, at the death of Bucquoy, was much
greater, then they suffered to be published.
We here Spinola is passed over at Rhenebery; if
it be so, they are no longer distracted, whe-
ther he would bend upon Juliers, or the
Palatinate. I know not what you hear
from your noble son in law, who sees those
things clearly in himself, and in a near
distance; but I hear here, that the King
hath much lost the affection of the English
in those parts. Whether it proceed from
any sowrenesse in him, or that they be o-
therwise taken off, from applying them-
selves to him, I know not. My Lord of S.
Albons hath found so much favour as that
a pension of 2000 l. will be given him;
he desires that he might have it for years,
that so he might transferre it upon his cre-
ditors,
158Letters to severall ditors; or that in place of it he might have
8000 l. for he hath found a disposition in
his creditors (to whom I hear he hath paid
3000 l. since by retyring) to accept 8000 l.
for all his debts, which are three times as
much. I have been some times with my L.
of Canterbury, since by accident, to give you
his own words. I see him retain his for-
mer cheerfulnesse here and at Croydon, but I
do not hear from Court, that he hath any
ground for such a confidence, but that his
case may need favour, and not have it. That
place, and Bedington, and Chelsey, and High-
gate, where that very good man my Lord
Hobard is, and Hackney, with the M. of the
Rolls, and my familiar Peckham, are my
circumferrence. No place so eccentrique to
me, as that I lye just at London; and with
those fragmentary recreations I must make
shift to recompense the missing of that
contentment which your favour opens to
me, and my desire provokes me to, the
kissing of your hands at Polesworth. My
daughter Constance is at this time with me; for
Persons of Honour.159
for the emptinesse of the town, hath made
me, who otherwise live upon the almes of
others, a houskeeper, for a moneth; and
so she is my servant below stairs, and my
companion above: she was at the table
with me, when your Letter was brought,
and I pay her a piece of her petition in do-
ing her this office, to present her service to
my Lady Nethersoles, and her very good
sister. But that she is gone to bed two hours
before I writ this, she should have signed,
with such a hand as your daughter Mary
did to me, that which I testifie for her, that
she is as affectionate a servant to them all,
as their goodnesse hath created any where.
Sir, I shall recompense my tediousnesse, in
closing mine eyes with a prayer for yours,
as for mine own happinesse, for I am al-
most in bed; if it were my last bed, and I
upon my last businesse there, I should not
omit to joyn you with Aug. 30. 1611.
Your very humble and very thankfull
servant in Christ Jesus
J. Donne. To
160Letters to severall To his honourable friend Sr H. G. SIR, TOTo you that are not easily scandalized,
and in whom, I hope, neither my
Religion nor Morality can suffer, I dare
write my opinion of that Booke in whose
bowels you left me. It hath refreshed, and
given new justice to my ordinary com-
plaint, That the Divines of these times, are
become meer Advocates, as though Religi-
on were a temporall inheritance; they
plead for it with all sophistications, and il-
lusions, and forgeries: And herein are
they likest Advocates, that though they be
feed by the way, with Dignities, and other
recompenses, yet that for which they plead
is none of theirs. They write for Religion,
without it. In the main point in question,
I think truly there is a perplexity (as farre as
I see yet) and both sides may be in justice,
and innocence; and the wounds which
they inflict upon the adverse part, are all se
defendendo: for, clearly, our State cannot be safe
Persons of Honour.161
safe without the Oath; since they professe,
that Clergie-men, though Traitors, are no
Subjects, and that all the rest may be none
to morrow. And, as clearly, the Suprema-
cy which the Ro. Church pretend, were
diminished, if it were limited; and will
as ill abide that, or disputation, as the Pre-
rogative of temporall Kings, who being
the onely judges of their prerogative, why
may not Roman Bishops, (so enlightned
as they are presumed by them) be good wit-
nesses of their own supremacie, which is
now so much impugned? But for this par-
ticular Author, I looked for more prudence,
and humane wisdome in him, in avoiding
all miscitings, or mis-interpretings, because
at this time, the watch is set, and every bo-
dies hammer is upon that anvill; and to
dare offend in that kinde now, is, for a theef
to leave the covert, and meet a strong hue
and cry in the teeth: and yet truly this man
is extremely obnoxious in that kinde; for,
though he have answered many things ful-
ly, (as no book ever gave more advantage then
162Letters to severall
then that which he undertook) and abound
in delicate applications, and ornaments,
from the divine and prophane authors,
yet being chiefly conversant about two
points, he prevaricates in both. For, for
the matter, which is the first, he referres it
intirely, and namely, to that which D. Mor-
ton hath said therein before, and so leaves
it roundly: And for the person (which is
the second) upon whom he amasses as ma-
ny opprobries, as any other could deserve,
he pronounceth, that he will account any
answer from his adversary, slaunder, except
he do (as he hath done) draw whatsoever
he saith of him, from Authors of the same
Religion, and in print: And so, he having
made use of all the Quodlibetaries, imputa-
tions against the other, cannot be obnoxi-
ous himself in that kinde, and so hath pro-
vided safely. It were no service to you, to
send you my notes upon the Book, because
they are sandy, and incoherent ragges, for
my memory, not for your judgement; and
to extend them to an easinesse, and perspi-
cuity,
Persons of Honour.163 cuity, would make them a Pamphlet, not
a Letter. I will therefore deferre them till I
see you; and in the mean time, I will ad-
venture to say to you, without inserting
one unnecessary word, that the Book is full
of falsifications in words, and in sense, and
of falshoods in matter of fact, and of incon-
sequent and unscholarlike arguings, and
of relinquishing the King, in many points
of defence, and of contradiction of himself,
and of dangerous and suspected Doctrine
in Divinitie, and of silly ridiculous triflings,
and of extreme flatteries, and of neglecting
better and more obvious answers, and of
letting slip some enormous advantages
which the other gave, and he spies not. I
know (as I begun) I speak to you who can-
not be scandalized, and that neither mea-
sure Religion (as it is now called) by Uni-
tie, nor suspect Unity, for these interrupti-
ons. Sir, not onely a Mathematique point,
which is the most indivisible and unique
thing which art can present, flowes into
every line which is derived from the Cen-
ter,
164Letters to severall ter, but our soul which is but one, hath
swallowed up a Negative, and feeling soul;
which was in the body before it came, and
exercises those faculties yet; and God him-
selfe, who only is one, seems to have been
eternally delighted, with a disunion of per-
sons. They whose active function it is,
must endevour this unity in Religion: and
and we at our lay Altars (which are our
tables, or bedside, or stools, wheresoever
we dare prostrate our selves to God in pray-
er) must beg it of him: but we must take
heed of making misconclusions upon the
want of it: for, whether the Maior and
Aldermen fall out, (as with us and the Pu-
ritans; Bishops against Priests) or the
Commoners voyces differ who is Maior,
and who Alderman, or what their Juris-
diction, (as with the Bishop of Rome, or
whosoever) yet it is still one Corporation. Micham, Thurs-
day late.
Your very affectionate servant and lover
J. Donne. Never leave the remembrance of my poor ser-
vice unmentioned when you see the good Lady. To
Persons of Honour.165 To Sr T. H. SIR, THisThis evening which is 5o October, I
finde your Letter of Michaelmas day,
and though I see by it, that it is a return of
a Letter, not of the last weeks, and there-
upon make account, that my last weeks
Letter hath satisfied you in some things
which this Letter commands, concerning
Pauls, yet for other things I would give you
a drowsie relation, for it is that time of
night, thogh I called it evening. At the Kings
going from hence, upon Munday last, we
made account to have seen Sir John Sutclin
Secretary, and Sir Rob. Weston Chancellor
of the Exchequer, but they are not done,
but both are fixed: my L. Cranfield received
his staffe, with these two suits obtained
from the King, That all Assignations might
be transferred into the Exchequer, and so
no paiments charged upon the Customes,
nor Receivers, nor the Court or Wards, &c.
And that for a time there might be a damp cast
166Letters to severall
cast upon Pensions, till they might be con-
sidered. In the Low Countries the Armies
stirre not. In the Palatinate Sire H. Vere at-
tempting the regaining of Stenie Castle, was
surprised with the Enemy in so much
strength, that they write it over for a Ma-
ster-piece, that he was able to make a retreat
to Manheme: so that now the Enemy is got
on that side the River which Heydelberg is
on, and I know nothing that can stand in
his way. My L. Digby comes from Vienna,
before he goes into Spain, by Count Mans-
field, by the Palatinate, by Paris; and there-
fore upon his comming, I shall be able to
say something to you. In Sir John Sutclin I
presume you see an end of Sir Ro. Naunton,
and we see an end of Mr Tho. Murray too; I
beleeve he comes no more to the Prince.
For the triall of my L. of Canterburies irre-
gularity, there is a Commission to sixe Bi-
shops, London, Winchester, Rochester, and three
onely elect, Lincoln, S. Davids, and Exeter:
two Judges, L. Hobard, and Dodridge; two
Civilians, Sir H. Martin, and D. Steward. The con-
Persons of Honour.167
consecration of these elect Bishops, and
consequently, my being Dean, must attend
the issue of this Commission. Sir Tho. Roe
is gone. The Proclamations of putting off
the Parliament, till February, are like to out-
run this Letter. It is very late; and it is
one act, to say Grace after Supper, and to
commend my self into the hands of my
blessed Saviour, in my bed, and so close this
Letter, and mine eies, with the same bles-
sing upon all your family. Amen. Your poor servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. SIR, II Receivereceive this 14 your Letter of the 10.
yet I am not come to an understanding
how these Carriers keep daies: for I would
fain think that the Letters which I sent up-
on Thursday last might have given you such
an account of the state of my family, that
you needed not have asked by this. But Sir,
168Letters to severall
Sir, it hath pleased God to adde thus much
to my affliction, that my wife hath now
confessed her self to be extremely sick; she
hath held out thus long to assist me, but is
now overturn'd, & here we be in two beds,
or graves; so that God hath marked out a
great many of us, but taken none yet. I have
passed ten daies without taking any thing;
so that I think no man can live more thrifti-
ly. I have purged and vexed my body much
since I writ to you, and this day I have
missed my fit: and this is the first time,
that I could discern any intermission. This
is enough, the rest I will spend upon the
parts of your Letter: Your Letter at Pauls
is delivered. In the History of that remove,
this onely perchance may be news to you,
that Mr Alabaster hath got of the King the
Deans best Living worth above 300 l,
which the Dean had good hope to have
held a while. Of that which your writ
concerning a Book of the Nullity, I have
heard no syllable any other way. If you
have received it by good hands, I beleeve it with
Persons of Honour.169
with you: otherwise the report is naturally
very incredible. Though the answering
of it be a work for some, both of better abi-
lities really, and in common reputation
also, yet I was like enough to have had
some knowledge thereof. You mention
again some thing which it seems you are
not willing I should understand of my La-
dy Huntington: some of your former Letters,
have spoken of some other former Letters,
(which I never saw) which speak of the
matter as of a history and thing done; and
these later Letters speak of it Prophetically,
as of a future contingent. I am glad the of-
ten remembrance of it, gives me often oc-
casion of thankfulnesse to her, for retaining
me in her memory, and of professing my
self in my end, and ways, her most humble
servant. For your Parliament businesse, I
should be very sorry, if you came not up,
because I presume you had seposed many
businesses, to have been done at that time;
but in the ways wherein you have gone, I
protest I am diffident. For first, for that L. whom
170Letters to severall
whom you solicited by Letters through
me, I tell you with the whispering of a
secret, but the confidence of a friend, that
you will be deceived whensoever you think
that he should take any delight in doing
you a courtesie. And I am afraid, the true
heartinesse of the other noble Gentleman
M. Howard, will be of small use in this per-
ticular, if he have but solicited my L. his fa-
ther to reserve a blanke for his friend, for
my L. hath suffered more denialls, even in
places where he sent names, then could
have been feared. Besides M. How. hath
not written to his father therein, but to M.
Woodward, who perceiving those Letters to
be written, before his purpose of being
Knight for the shire, thinkes these Letters
extinguished. You made me offer so long
since of a place (it was when you writ into
the west) yet I could think it no merit to
have offered you one since, otherwise it hath
been since in my power, for since the Mr.
of the Rolls provided me one, Sir Ed. Her-
bert, who makes haste away, made me a present
Persons of Honour.171
present of his; and I have had a third of-
fer. The businesse of your last weeks Let-
ter concerning the widow, is not a subject
for a feverous mans consideration. There-
fore I only send you back those Letters
which you sent; and aske you leave to
make this which I am fain to call my good
day, so much truly good, as to spend the
rest of it with D. Layfield, who is, upon
my summons, at this hour come to me. My
Physicians have made me afraid, that this
disease will work into my head, and so put
me into lightnesses, therefore I am desi-
rous that I be understood before any
such danger overtake me. 14. March.
Your true poor servant
J. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir H. G. Sir, AFterAfter I have told you, that the Lady
Hay dyed last Tuesday, and that to her
end she was anguished with the memory of
172Letters to severall
of the execution of that fellow which at-
tempted her in the coach. I have told you all
which hath fallen out here. Except between
you and me that may be worth the telling,
that my L. Chancellor gave me so noble
and so ready a dispatch; accompanied
with so fatherly advise, and remorse for my
fortunes, that I am now, like an Alchymist,
delighted with discoveries by the way,
though I attain not mine end. It spent me
so little time after your going, that, although
you speak in your Letter of good dispatch in
your going, yet I might have overtaken you.
And though perch œce if I had gone, it might
have been inconvenient for me, to have put
my self into my L. Chamberlains presence, if
that sicknesse be earnest at Ashby, and so I
should nothing have advanced my busi-
nesse, yet I should have come to that noble
Lady with better confidence, and more
assurance of a pardon, when I had brought
a conscience, that I came despoiled of all
other respects, only to kisse her hands, in
whose protection I am, since I have, nor de-
sire other station, then a place in her good opinion.
Persons of Honour.173
opinion. I took so good contentment in
the fashion which my L. Chancellor used
towards me, that out of a voluptuous loath-
nesse to let that taste go out of my mouth,
I forbear to make any further tryall in that
businesse till the King come into these quar-
ters. So that, Sir, I am here in place to serve
you, if either I be capable of your com-
mandements, or this town give any thing
worth the writing. As often as you see
your noble friend, and her good sister, al-
low my name a room in your discourse, it
is a short one, and you will soon have done.
But tell them not my desire to do them ser-
vice, for then you engage your self in a lon-
ger discourse, then I am worthy. Only in
pursuit of your commandment I sent the
Pacquet to the Post, for in mine own un-
derstanding, there should appear small
hope of arriving by that way, except you
know otherwise that the LL. mean to
make some stay in their return, in those
parts: but the Letter is brought back a-
gain, for the Post went away yesterday, and
they knew of no occasion of sending till they
174Letters to severall
next week. Therefore except I can inform
my self of some good means, I will retain
it, till I have a fresh commandment from
you. I see M. Taverner still in this town, the
Lady Carey went from hence but yesterday. I
am in some perplexity what to doe with
this pacquet, till some good fortune, or your
Letters clear me. Aug. 19
Your humble servant
J. Donne. To Sir H. Goodere at Polesworth. SIR, ITItIt is true that M. Gherard told you, I had
that commandment from the King sig-
nified to me by my L. and am still under it,
and we are within fourteen days of our
time for going. I leave a scattered flock of
wretched children, and I carry an infirme
and valetudinary body, and I goe into the
mouth of such adversaries, as I cannot
blame for hating me, the Jesuits, and yet I go.
Persons of Honour.175
go. Though this be no service to my Lord:
yet I shall never come nearer doing him a
service, nor do any thing liker a service then
this. Yesterday we had news by Sir Nowell
Carou from Paris, that the D. of Savoy was
elected King of Bohemia; which would cut
off a great part of the occasion of our going:
but it is not much credible in it self, nor at
all beleeved here, because it is not signified
from Savoy, nor Heidelberg. Since M. Gher.
continues your Gazittier, I need tell you no-
thing of the Q. of Frances estate. For your
commandment in memory of M. Martin,
I should not have sate so many processes, if
I could incline my thoughts that way. It is
not lazinesse, it is not gravity, nor coldnesse
towards his memory, or your service; for I
have thought of it oftner, and longer, then
I was wont to do in such things, and no-
thing is done. Your last pacquet, in which
your daughter and I were joynt commissi-
oners, was brought to me, because she was
at Hampton, with the Queens body: but I sent
her part to her, and my La. Uvedalls to her, who
176Letters to severall
who presents her service to you by me
now, and says she will write next week,
and so will I too, by Gods grace. You for-
get me absolutely and intirely, whensoever
you forget me to that noble Countesse. God
blesse you in all, Amen. 9 Martii.
Your true servant in Jes. Chr.
J. Donne. To the best Knight Sir H. G. SIR, ATAt your conveniency, I pray send my
Lady Bedford this inclosed, but be
pleased to put your self to some inconveni-
ence, (if it be so) to kisse my Lady Ruthins
hands in my name, and to present my very
humble service to her, and tell her, that
no ill conscience of having deserved her,
but only an obedience to her command-
ments, keeps me from saying to her self thus
much; that this day I received a letter from
my L. of Kent, written yesterday at Wrest:
in that his Lordships sends me word, that that
Persons of Honour.177
that favour which he hath formerly done
me, in giving me Blouham, is now likely to
fall upon me, because the Incumbent is
dangerously ill: and because this is the sea-
son in which he removes from Wrest thi-
ther, he desires (for I give you his own
word) that he may be accommodate there,
(if it fall now) as heretofore. Out of my
absolute and intire readiness to serve that
family, I sent back his messenger with this
answer, that I esteemed it a great part of my
good fortune, that I should become wor-
thy to be commanded by him. If my Lady
will be pleased to direct me in what parti-
cular manner I may best serve her purpo-
ses. I shall gladly waite upon her at any
time, to receive her command with as much
devotion and thankfulnesse as I received the
benefit. I beseech you make her beleeve it,
as in any place you beleeve 26 Febr. 1621.
Your poor servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To
178Letters to severall To my best of friends Sir H. G. Sir, I Heard not from you this week; there-
fore I write more willingly, because it
hath in it so much more merit. And I
might do it very cheaply, since to convey
to you this Letter, which mine hath the ho-
nour to bring, any little Letter would serve,
and be acceptable for that. Because it came
not last week, I went now to solicite it, and
she sent it me next day with some thankes,
and some excuse that she knew not me,
when I was with her. You know, I do not
easily put my self into those hazards, nor
do much brag of my valor now, otherwise
then I purposed it for a service to you. The
newest thing that I know in the world, is
my new son: whose mothers being well
takes off from me any new waight upon my
fortune. I hear in Newgate, that M. Ma-
thew is dead. The Catholiques beleeve it
there: perchance out of a custome of cre-
dulity. But the report, is close prisoner; for I
Persons of Honour.179
I never met it abroad. This is my third let-
ter, all which I sent by Spelty whom my
boy found at Abington house. I have now
two of the best happinesses which could
befall me, upon me; which are, to be a
widower and my wife alive, which may
make you know, that it is but for you ease,
that this letter is no longer, in this leasure in
which (having nothing else to write) I
might vary a thousand ways that I am Monday at night.
Your very affectionate servant
J. Donne. To my worthy friend G. K. SIR, I Receivereceive this heare that I begin this re-
turn, your Letter by a servant of Sir G.
Greseley, by whom also I hasten this dis-
patch. This needs no enlargement since it
hath the honour to convey one from M.
Gherard. But though by telling me, it was
a bold letter, I had leave to open it, and that
I have a little itch to make some animad-
versions
180Letters to severall versions & Criticismes upon it (as that there
is a ciphar too much in the sum of the Kings
debts, and such like) yet since my eyes do
easily fall back to their distemper, and that
I am this night to sup at Sir A. Ingrams, I
had rather forfeit their little strength at his
supper, then with writing such imperti-
nencies: the best spending them, is upon
the rest of your Letter, to which, Sir, I can
only say in generall, that some appearances
have been here, of some treatise concer-
ning this Nullity, which are said to proceed
from Geneva; but are beleeved to have
been done within doors, by encourage-
ments of some whose names I will not
commit to this letter. My poor study ha-
ving lyen that way, it may prove possible,
that my weak assistance may be of use in
this matter, in a more serious fashion, then
an Epithalamion. This made me therefore
abstinent in that kinde; yet by my troth, I
think I shall not scape. I deprehend in
my self more then an alacrity, a vehe-
mency to do service to that company; and so
Persons of Honour.181
so, I may finde reason to make rime. If it be
done, I see not how I can admit that circuit
of sending them to you, to be sent hither;
that seems a kinde of praying to Saints, to
whom God must tell first, that such a man
prays to them to pray to him. So that I
shall lose the honour of that conveyance;
but, for recompense, you shall scape the
danger of approving it. My next Letter shall
say more of this. This shall end with deli-
vering you the remembrance of my Lady
Bartlet, who is present at the sealing hereof. Jan. 19.
Your very true and affectionate servant
J. Donne. Which name when there is any empty
corner in your discourse with that noble La-
dy at Ashby, I humbly beseech you to pre-
sent to her as one more devoted to her service
then perchance you will say. To
183182Letters to severall To Sir G. B. SIR, BEtweenBetween the time of making up my o-
ther Letters, and the hour that your
man limited me to call for them, came to
my house an other pacquet directed to
him: for by this time, the carrier is as wise,
as his horse, to go to the house that he hath
used to go. I found liberty in the super-
scription to open, and so I did; but for that
part which concerns him, I must attend his
comming hither, for I know not where to
seek him; and beside, I have enough to say
for that part which concerns my self. Sir,
even in the Letter it self to me, I deprehend
much inclination, to chide me: and it is
but out of your habit of good language that
you spare me. So little occasion as that
postscript of mine, could not bring you so
near to it, if nothing else were mistaken,
which (so God help me) was so little, that I
remember not what it was, and I would
no more hear again what I write in an officious
Persons of Honour.182183
officious Letter, then what I said at a drun-
ken supper. I had no purpose to exercise
your diligence in presenting my name to
that Lady, but either I did, or should have
said, that I write onely to fill up any empty
corner in your discourse. So, Sir, the rea-
ding of the Letter, was a kinde of travell to
me, but when I came to the paper inclosed,
I was brought to bed of a monster. To ex-
presse my self vehemently quickly, I must
say, that I can scarce think, that you have
read M. Gherards letter rightly, therefore I
send you back your own again. I will not
protest against my being such a knave, for no
man shall have that from me, if he expect
it: but I will protest against my being such
a fool, as to depose any thing in him with
hope of locking it up, and against that low-
nesse, of seeking reputation by so poor a
way. I am not so sorry, that I am a narrow
man, as that for all the narrownesse, you
have not seen through me yet, nor known
me perfectly; for I might think by this, (if
I had not other testimony) that I have been little
184Letters to severall
little in your contemplation. Sixteen letters
from M. Gherard, could not (I think) per-
swade a Middlesex Jury of so much disho-
nesty in Your true servant
J. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir G. P. SIR, II Wouldwould have intermitted this week with-
out writing, if I had not found the name
of my Lady Huntington in your Letter. The
devotion which I owe, and (in good faith)
pay in my best prayers for her good, in all
kinde awakens me to present my humble
thanks for this, that her Ladiship retains
my name in her memory: she never laid
obligation upon any man, readier to ex-
presse his acknowledgement of them, to
any servant of her servants; I am bound
to say much of this, for your indemnity;
because though I had a little preparation to
her knowledge in the house where I served at
Persons of Honour.185
at first, yet, I think, she took her characters
of me, from you: And, at what time soe-
ver she thought best of me in her life, I am
better then that, for my goodnesse is my
thankfulnesse, and I am every day fuller of
that then before, to her Lap. I say nothing
to you of forein names in this Letter, be-
cause your son Sir Francis is here. For that
which you write concerning your son, I
onely gave my man Martin in charge, to
use his interest in the Keeper, that your son
should fall under no wants there, which
it seems your son discharged, for I hear not
of them. For other trifles, I bad my man let
him have whatsoever he asked, so, as it
might seem to come from him, and not
me; and laying that look upon it, it came
to almost nothing. Tell both your daugh-
ters a peece of a storie of my Con. which
may accustome them to endure disappoint-
ments in this world: An honourable per-
son (whose name I give you in a schedule
to burn, lest this Letter should be mis-laid)
had an intention to give her one of his sons, and
186Letters to severall
and had told it me, and would have been
content to accept what I, by my friends,
could have begged for her; but he intended
that son to my Profession, and had provi-
ded him already 300l a year, of his own
gift in Church livings, and hath estated
300l more of inheritance for their children:
and now the youth, (who yet knows no-
thing of his fathers intention nor mine)
flies from his resolutions for that Calling,
and importunes his Father to let him tra-
vell. The girle knows not her losse, for I
never told her of it: but truly, it is a great
disappointment to me. More then these,
Sir, we must all suffer, in our way to hea-
ven, where, I hope you and all yours shall
meet. 18 Octob. 1622
Your poor friend and affectionate servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.187 To my much honoured friend Sr T. Lucy. SIR, II Havehave scarce had at any time any thing so
like news to write to you, as that I am
at this Town; we came from Spâ with so
much resolution of passing by Holland. But
at Mastricht we found that the lownesse, and
slacknesse of the River, would incommo-
date us so much, as we charged our whole
gests, and came hither by Land. In the way
at Lovaine we met the E. of Arondel, to re-
compense the losse wee had of mis-
sing my L. Chandis and his company, who
came to Spâ within a few hours after we
came away. Sir Ed. Conaway, by occasion of
his bodies indisposition, was gone home
before: he told me he had some hope of
you about Bartholomewtide: But because I
half understood by a Letter from you, that
you were determined upon the Countrie
till Michaelmas, I am not so earnest in ende-
vouring to prolong our stay in these parts,
as otherwise I should. If I could joine with him
188Letters to severall
him in that hope of seeing you on this side
the water; and if you should hold that pur-
pose of comming at that time, I should re-
pent extremely my laying of our journies;
for (if we should by miracle hold any reso-
lution) we should be in England about that
time, so that I might misse you both here,
and there. Sir, our greatest businesse is
more in our power then the least, and we
may be surer to meet in heaven then in any
place upon earth; and whilst we are distant
here, we may meet as often as we list in
Gods presence, by soliciting in our prayers
for one another. I received 4 Letters from
you at Spâ by long circuits. In the last, one
from my L. Dorset: I, who had a consci-
ence of mine own unworthinese of any fa-
vour from him, could not chuse but present
my thanks for the least. I do not therefore
repent my forwardnesse in that office; and I
beseech you not to repent your part therein.
Since we came to this Town, there arrived
an Extraordinary from Spain, with a recon-
firmation of the D.d'Aumals Pension, which is
Persons of Honour.189
is thereby 2400l a year, & he brings the title
of Count, to Rodrigo de Calderon, who from
a very low place, having grown to be Se-
cretary to Lerma, is now Ambassador here,
and in great opinion of wisdome: They
say yet he goes to Prague with the Marquis
Spinola, and the G. Buquoy, to congratulate
the Emperour: but we all conclude here,
that persons of such quality, being great in
matter of Warre, are not sent for so small
an emploiment: we beleeve certainly, that
they deliberate a Warre, and that the redu-
ction of Aix being not worthy this dili-
gence, their intentions be upon Cleve,
for the new Town which the two Prin-
ces make by Collen, despites them much.
The Elector of Ments hath lately been here,
upon pretence of comming in devotion to
Sichem, and shortly the Electors of Colein and
Saxony are to be here severally: all concurs
to a disposition of such a Warre, and the
Landsgrave of Hasse (who is as yet in the
Union) is much solicited and caressed by
this party, and I doubt, will prove a frail and
190Letters to severall
and corruptible man. I durst think confi-
dently, that they will at least proceed so far
towards a Warre, as to try how France will
dispose it self in the businesse: for it is con-
ceived that the D. of Bovillon brought to
our K. good assurances from the Qu. Re-
gent, that she would pursue all her hus-
bands purposes in advancing the designes
of those Princes who are in possession of
Cleve, and in the Union. If she declare her
self to do so, when they stirre, they are like
to divert their purposes; but if she stand
but neutrall (as it is likely, considering how
Spanish the Court is at this time) I see not
that the Princes of the Union are much
likely to retard them. Sir, you see what un-
concerning things I am fain to write of,
lest I should write of my self, who am so
little a history or tale, that I should not hold
out to make a Letter long enough to send
over a Sea to you; for I should dispatch my
self in this one word that I am Aug.16. here. 1622.
Your affectionate servant and lover
J. Donne. To To
Persons of Honour.191 To the honourable Knight Sir H. G. SIR, SInceSince I received a Letter by your sonne,
whom I have not yet had the honour
to see, I had a Letter Pacquet from you by
Mr Roe: To the former, I writ before: In
this I have no other commandement from
you, but to tell you, whether Mr Villers have
received from the K. any additions of ho-
nour, or profit. Without doubt he hath yet
none. He is here, practising for the Mask;
of which, if I mis-remember not, I writ as
much as you desire to know, in a Letter
which seems not, to have been come to
you, when you writ. In the Savoy business,
the King hath declared himself by an en-
gagement, to assist him with 100000l a
year, if the Warre continue. But I beleeve,
he must farm out your Warwickshire Bene-
volence for the paiment thereof. Upon the
strength of this engagement, Sir Rob. Rich
becomes confident in his hopes. If you
stood in an equall disposition for the West, and
190192Letters to severall
and onely forbore, by reason of Mr Martins
silence, I wonder; for I think, I told you,
that he was gone; and I saw in Sir Tho.
Lucies hand, a Letter from him to you,
which was likely to tell you as much.
Since I came from Court, I have stirred ve-
ry little: Now that the Court comes again
to us, I may have something which you
may be content to receive from 18 Decemb.
Your very affectionate servant
J. Donne. To my good friend Sr H. G. Sir, THEThe Messenger who brought me
your Letter presented me a just excuse,
for I received them so late upon Thursday
night, that I should have dispatched before
I could begin; yet I have obeyed you drow-
sily, and coldly, as the night and my in-
disposition commanded: yet perchance
those hinderances have done good, for so
your Letters are the lesse curious, in which men
Persons of Honour.193
men of much leasure may soon exceed,
when they write of business, they having
but a little. You mention two more letters
then I send. The time was not too short
for me to have written them, (for I had an
whole night) but it was too short to work
a beleefe I me, that you could think it fit
to go two so divers ways to one end. I see
not, (for I see not the reason) how those
letters could well have concurred with
these, nor how those would well have been
drawn from them, in a businesse wholly
relating to this house. I was not lazie in
disobeying you, but (I thought) only thrifty,
and your request of those was not absolute,
but conditioned, if I had leasure. So though
that condition hinder them not, since ano-
ther doth (and you forethought, that one
might) I am not stubborn. The good
Countesse spake somewhat of your desire
of letters; but I am afraid, she is not a pro-
per Mediatrix to those persons, but I coun-
sail in the dark. And therefore return to
that, of which I have clear light, that I am always
194Letters to severall
always glad, when I have any way to ex-
presse my love; for in these commandments
you feed my desires, and you give me means
to pay some of my debts to you: the inte-
rest of which I pay in all my prayers for
you, which, if it please not God to shew
here, I hope we shall find again together
in heaven, whither they were sent. I came
this morning to say thus much, and because
the Porter which came to Micham summo-
ned me for this hour to London: from
whence I am this minute returning to end
a little course of Physick. Friday 8 in the morning.
Yours very truly
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. SIR, II Writwrit to you yesterday taking the bold-
nesse to put a letter into the good Ladies
pacquet for you. This morning I had this
new occasion of writing, that Sir Tho. Roe,
who brought this inclosed Letter to me, and
Persons of Honour.195
and left it unsealed, intreated me to take the
first opportunity of sending it. Besides that
which is in that letter (for he read it to me)
I came to the knowledg in Yorkhouse that my
L. Chancellor hath been moved, and in-
censed against you; and asking Sir Tho. Roe,
if he were directly or occasionally any cause
of that, he tells me thus much, that Sir W.
Lover, and Sir H. Carey, have obtained of
my L. to have a Pursevant, and consequent-
ly a Serjeant sent into the Countrey for you.
My L. grounds this earnestnesse against
you, upon some refusing to appear upon
processe which hath been taken out against
you. And I perceive Sir Ed. Eston, and both
the other, admit consultations, of ways by
petition to the King, or Counsail, or L.
Chamberlain, or any other. The great
danger, obliquely likely to fall, is that when
it comes to light, how you stand towards
M. Mathew, you may lose the ease which
you have by colour of that extent, and he
may lose the benefit, of having had so much
of his estate concealed. You will therefore at
196Letters to severall
at least pardon my advising you, to place
those sums, which by your retiring I pre-
sume you do imploy upon payment of
debts, in such places as that these particu-
lar friends be not forced to leave being so. I
confesse, the going about to pay debts,
hastens importunity. I finde in my self,
that where I was not asked money before,
yet when I offered to pay next Terme, they
seem loth to afford me that time, which
might justly have been desperate before:
but that which you told me out of the
Countrey, with the assistance which I
hope to finde here, (especially if your inde-
vour may advance it at Dorset house) I hope
will inable me to escape clamor, and an
ill conscience, in that behalf. One thing
more I must tell you; but so softly, that I am
loath to hear my self: and so softly, that if
that good Lady were in the room, with
you and this Letter, she might not hear. It
is, that I am brought to a necessity of prin-
ting my Poems, and addressing them to
my L. Chamberlain. This I mean to do forth-
Persons of Honour.197
forthwith; not for much publique view,
but at mine own cost, a few Copies. I ap-
prehend some incongruities in the resoluti-
on; and I know what I shall suffer from
many interpretations: but I am at an end, of
much considering that; and, if I were as
startling in that kinde, as ever I was, yet in
this particular, I am under an unescapable
necessity, as I shall let you perceive, when
I see you. By this occasion I am made a
Rhapsoder of mine own rags, and that cost
me more diligence, to seek them, then it did
to make them. This made me aske to bor-
row that old book of you, which it will be
too late to see, for that use, when I see you:
for I must do this, as a valediction to the
world, before I take Orders. But this is it,
I am to aske you; whether you ever made
any such use of the letter in verse, A nostre
Countesse chez vous, as that I may not put it
in, amongst the rest to persons of that
rank; for I desire very very much, that
something should bear her name in the
book, and I would be just to my written words
198Letters to severall
words to my L. Harrington, to write no-
thing after that. I pray tell me as soon as
you can, if I be at liberty to insert that: for
if you have by any occasion applied any
pieces of it, I see not, that it will be discerned,
when it appears in the wholepiece. Though
this be a little matter, I would be sorry not
to have an account of it, within as little af-
ter Newyears tide, as you could. I have
something else to say, of M. Villars, but be-
cause I hope to see you here shortly, and be-
cause new additions, to the truths or ru-
mours, which concern him, are likely to be
made by occasion of this Masque, I forbear
to send you the edition of this Mart, since I
know it will be augmented by the next:
of which, if you prevent it not by com-
ming, you shall have, by letter an account
from Vigilia St. Tho. 1614.
Your very affectionate friend and servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.199 To the worthy Knight Sir Tho. Lucy. SIR, YOurYour Letter comes to me, at Grace after
supper; it is part of the prayer of that
Grace, that God will blesse you, and all yours
with his best blessings of both kinde. I
would write you news; but your love to
me, may make you apt to over-beleeve
news for my sake. And truly all things that
are upon the stage of the world now, are
full of such uncertanities, as may justly
make any man loth to passe a conjecture
upon them; not only because it is hard to see
how they wil end, but because it is misinter-
table and dangerous to conjecture other-
wise, then some men would have the event
to be. That which is especially in my con-
templation, which is the issue of my L. of
Canterburies businesse, (for thereupon de-
pends the consecration of my predecessor,
upon which the Deanery devolves to the
King) is no farther proceeded in yet, then
that some of the 10 Commissioners have met
200Letters to severall
met once; and upon Saterday next there
will be a fuller meeting, and an entrance in-
to the businesse, upon which, much, very
much in consequence, depends. Of my L.
of Donc. we are only assured, that he is in a
good way of convalescence; but of any
audience nothing yet. Slacken not your
hold of my L. Treasurer, for I have been
told that you are in his care. I send you a
Copy of that Sermon, but it is not my co-
py, which I thought my L. of South-hampton
would have sent me backe. This you must
be pleased to let me have again, for I borrow
it: for the other, I will pretermit no time
to write it; though in good faith, I have
half forgot it. If in any letter I leave out the
name of the La. Hunt. or La. Burdell, or
your daughters, tell them, that I named
them. I take the falshood upon me; for I
intend it very really, and very humbly,
where I am good for any thing in any of
their services. Our blessed Saviour continue
and enlarge his blessing to you all, Amen. 11 Octob. 1621.
Your humble servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. Why do you say nothing of, my little book of Cases.
Persons of Honour.201 To To Sir G. B. Sir, ITIt is one of my blinde Meditations to
think what a miserable defeat it would
be to all these preparations of braverie, if
my infirmity should overtake others: for,
I am at least half blinde, my windows
are all as full of glasses of Waters, as any
Mountebanks stall. This messenger makes
haste, I thank him for it; therefor I onely
send you this Letter, which was sent to me
about three daies past, and my promise
to distribute your other Letters, according
to your addresses, as fast as my Monsieur
can doe it; for, for any personall service,
you must be content, at this time, to par-
don Decemb. 23. Your affectionate servant
J. Donne. To
202Letters to severall To Sir H. Goodere. SIR, AGreeablyAgreeably to my fortune, and thoughts,
I was crawld this back way from Key-
ston; through my broken casement at Bed-
ford, I saw, for my best dish at dinner, your
Coach: I studied your gests, but when I
knew where you were, I went out of this
Town, in a doubt whether I should turn in
to Wrest; and you know the wisdome of
the Parliament is, to resolve ever in the Ne-
gative: Therefore it is likeliest I shall not
come in there; yet, let me give you in pas-
sing, thus much account of my self: I
thought to kisse my L. Spencers hands, at one
house, and have passed three. If you know
nothing to the contrary, risen since I came
from London, I am likely to have a room in
my L. of Dov. train, into the Countrie; if I
have, I do not ask, but use the leave of wai-
ting upon you at home: There and ever
elswhere, our blessed Saviour blesse you, and
Persons of Honour.203
and all yours, in which number, I pray, ac-
count ever Your very thankfull servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. l SIR, II Cannotcannot obey you, if you go to morrow
to Parsons-green, your company, that
place, and my promise are strong induce-
ments, but an Ague flouts them all, of
which I have had two such threatnings,
that I provide against it by a little Physick.
This is one fetter; but I have a pair: for I
attend Sir Geo. Mores answer in a little busi-
nesse, of which I can have no account till
his return, so I am fastned here, till after
Sunday. As you are sure that I love you
thorowly, so think this a good expressing
of that, that I promise now, that I will cer-
tainly goe with you on Munday, in despite
of these interruptions, and serve you with
my company to the Bathe; which journie,
it is time to hasten. But I pray think this pro-
204Letters to severall
promise so much worth, that it may deserve
your comming this way on Munday, for I
make it with that reservation. God send
you Hawks and fortunes of a high pitch. Your honest affectionate
J. Donne. To Sir T.R. SIR, II Havehave bespoke you a New-years-gift, that
is, a good New year, for I have offered
your name with my soul heartily to God in
my mornings best Sacrifice: If for custome
you will doe a particular office in recom-
pense, deliver this Letter to your Lady,
now, or when the rage of the Mask is past.
If you make any haste into the Country, I
pray let me know it. I would kisse your
hands before you goe, which I doe now,
and continue Micham, the last of 1607.
as I remember.
Your affectionate servant
and lover J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.205 To Sir Henry Goodere. Sir, II Speakspeak to you before God, I am so much
affected with yesterdaies accident, that I
think I prophane it in that name. As men
which judge Nativities, consider not single
Starres, but the Aspects, the concurrence
and posture of them; so in this, though no
particular past arrest me, or divert me, yet
all seems remarkable and enormous. God,
which hath done this immediately, without
so much as a sickness, will also immediately
without supplement of friends, infuse his
Spirit of comfort, where it is needed and
deserved. I write this to you from the Spring
Garden, whither I withdrew my self to
think of this; and the intensenesse of my
thinking ends in that, that by my help
Gods work should be imperfected, if by
any means I resisted the amasement. Your very true friend
J. Donne. To
206Letters to severall To my good friend G.H. Sir, THEThe little businesse which you left in
my hands is now dispatched; if it
have hung longer then you thought, it
might serve for just excuse, that these small
things make as many steps to their end,
and need as many motions for the war-
rant, as much writing of the Clerks, as
long expectation of a Seal, as greater. It
comes now to you sealed, and with it as
strong and assured seals of my service and
love to you, if it be good enough for you.
I owe you a continuall tribute of Letters.
But Sir, even in Princes and Parents, and
all States that have in them a naturall Sove-
raignty, there is a sort of reciprocation,
and as descent to doe some offices due to
them that serve them: which makes me
look for Letters from you, because I have
another as valuable a pawn therefore, as
your friendship, which is your promise; lest
Persons of Honour.207
lest by the Jailors fault this Letter stick
long, I must tell you, that I writ and sent it
12o Decemb. 1600. Your friend and servant and lover
J. Donne.
12. Decemb. 1600 To your self. SIR, II Sendsend you here a Translation; but it is
not onely to beleeve me, it is a great in-
vention to have understood any piece of
this Book, whether the gravity of the mat-
ter, or the Poeticall form, give it his incli-
nation, and principium motus; you are his
center, or his sphere, and to you as to his
proper place he addresses himself. Besides
that all my things, not onely by obligation,
but by custome , know that that is the way
they should goe. I spake of this to my
L. of Bedford, thinking then I had had a co-
py which I made long since, at Sea, but be-
cause I finde it not, I have done that again: when
208Letters to severall
when you finde it not unseasonable, let her
see it; and if you can think it fit, that a thing
that hath either wearied, or distasted you,
should receive so much favour, put it
amongst her papers: when you have a
new stomach to it, I will provide you
quickly a new Copy. At my Micham
Hospitall, Aug. 10.
Your very true friend and servant
and lover J. Donne. To the gallant Knight Sir Tho. Lucy. SIR, BEcauseBecause in your last Letter, I have an in-
vitation to come to you, though I ne-
ver thought my self so fallen from my in-
terest, which, by your favour, I prescribe in,
in you, and therefore when in the spring I
hoped to have strength enough, to come in-
to those parts, upon another occasion, I
always resolved to put my self into your
presence too, yet now I aske you more par-
ticularly how you dispose of your self; for
though I have heard, that you purpose a jour-
Persons of Honour.209
journey to the Bath, and from thence hither,
yet I can hope, that my service at Lincolns Inne
being ended for next Terme, I may have in-
termission enough to waite upon you at
Poleseworth, before the season call you to
Bath. I was no easie apprehender of the
fear of your departing from us; neither am
I easie in the hope of seeing you intirely o-
ver suddenly. God loves your soul, if he be
loth to let it go inch-meale, and not by
swallowings; and he loves it too, if he
build it up again stone after stone; his will
is not done except his way, and his leasure
be observed. In my particular, I am sorry,
if my ingenuity and candor in delivering
my self in those points, of which you
speak to me, have defaced those impressi-
ons which were in you before: if my free-
dome have occasioned your captivity, I am
miserably sorry. I went unprofitably and
improvidently, to the utmost end of Truth,
because I would go as farre as I could to
meet Peace; if my going so far in declaring
my self, brought you where you could not stop
210Letters to severall
stop. But I was as confident in your
strength, as in mine own, so am I still, in
him, who strengthens al our infirmities and
will, I doubt not, bring you and me toge-
ther, in all those particulars, so as we shall
not part in this world, nor the next. Sir,
your own soul cannot be more zealous of
your peace, then I am: and God, who
loves that zeale in me, will not suffer you to
suspect it. I am surprised with a necessity of
writing now, in a minute; for I sent to
Bedford house to informe my self of means
to write, and your daughter sent me word,
of a present messenger, and therefore the rest
of this, I shall make up in my prayers to
our blessed Saviour, for all happinesses to
you. Drury house the 22 of
Decemb. 1607.
Your poor servant in Chr. Jesus.
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.211 To Sir H. G. SIR, THisThis is a second Letter: the enclosed
was written before. Now we are
sure that Heidelberge is taken, and entred
with extreme cruelties. Almost all the de-
fendors forsook their stations; only Sir
Ger. Herbert maintained his nobly, to the
repulsing of the enemy three times, but ha-
ving ease in the other parts, 8oo new fresh
men were put upon his quarter, and after
he had broke 4 Pikes, and done very well,
he was shot dead in the place. Manheim was
soon after besieged, and is still. Heydelth
was lost the 6 of this moneth. the K. upon
news of this, sent to the Spanish ambassa-
our, that the people were like to resent it,
and therefore, if he doubted ought, he
should have a Guard: but I do not see, that
he seems to need it, in his own opinion,
neither, intruth does he; the people are flat:
or trust in God, and the Kings ways. Sir
Hor. Vere hath written to his wife, (as I am told)
212Letters to severall
told) a Letter in the nature of a will, for the
disposing of his estate and children, as
though he did not account to see her any
more, but yet Manheim cannot be lost, but
by storming. Your man stays, and our
bell rings me into the Church; there Sir,
I shall recommend you to Gods goodnesse,
with Your friend
J. Donne.
24 Septemb. To Sir H.G. SIR, II Livelive so farre removed, that even the ill
news of your great losse (which is ever
swiftest and loudest) found me not till
now, your letter speaks it not plain enough
but I am so accustomed to the worst, that I
am sure it is so in this. I am almost glad that
I knew her so little: for I would have no
more additions to sorrow. if I should com-
fort you, it were an almes acceptable in no
other title, then when poor give to poor; for
Persons of Honour.213
for I am more needy of it then you. And I
know you well provided of Christian, and
learned, and brave defences against all hu-
mane accidents. I will make my best haste
after your messenger: and if my self and
the place had not been ill provided of hor-
ses, I had been the messenger, for you have
taught me by granting more to deny no
request. Pyesford 3 a clock
just as yours came.
Your honest unprofitable friend
J. Donne. To Sir H. G. SIR, II Cannotcannot yet serve you with those books
of which your Letter spake. In recom-
pense I will tell you a story, which if I had
had leasure to have told it you when it was
fresh, which was upon Thursday last,
might have had some grace for the rareness,
and would have tried your love to me,
how farre you would adventure to beleeve
an improbable thing for my sake who re-
lates
214Letters to severall lates it. That day in the morning, there
was some end made, by the E. of Salisbury
and others, who were Arbitrators in some
differences between Herford and Mountegle,
Herford was ill satisfied in it, and declared
himself so farre as to say, he expected bet-
ter usage in respect not only of his cause but
of his expence and service in his Ambassage:
to which Salisbury replied, that considered
how thinges stood between his Majesty and
Herford house at the Kings enterance, the
King had done him especiall favour in that
employment of honour and confidence, by
declaring in so publique and great an act
and testimony, that he had no ill affections
toward him. Herford answered, that he
was then and ever an honest man to the
King: and Salisbury said, he denied not
that, but yet solemnly repeated his first
words again. So that Herford seemed not
to make answer, but pursuing his own
word, said, that whosoever denied him to
have been an honest man to the King, lyed.
Salisbury asked him if he directed that upon him,
Persons of Honour.215
him, Herford said, upon any who denied
this. The earnestnes of both was such, as Sa-
lisbury accepted it to himself, and made pro-
testation before the LL. present, that he
would do nothing else, tell he had hono-
rably put off that lye. Within an hour after,
Salisbury sent him a direct challenge, by his
servant Mr Knightley; Herford required only
an hours leisure of consideration (it is said,
it was onely to inform himself of the espe-
ciall danger, in dealing so with a Counsel-
lor) but he returned his acceptance: And
all circumstances were so clearly handled
between them, that St James was agreed for
the place, and they were both come from
their severall lodgings, and upon the way
to have met, when they were interrupted
by such as from the King were sent to have
care of it. So these two have escaped this
great danger; but (by my troth) I fear ear-
nestly that Mistresse Bolstrod will not escape
that sicknesse in which she labours at this
time. I sent this morning to aske of her
passage of this night; and the return is, that
216Letters to severall
that she is as I left her yesternight; and then
by the strength of her understanding, and
voyce, (proportionally to her fashion,
which was ever remisse) by the eavennesse
and life of her pulse, and by her temper, I
could allow her long life, and impute all
her sicknesse to her minde. But the History
of her sicknesse, makes me justly fear, that
she will scarce last so long, as that you when
you receive this letter, may do her any good
office, in praying for her; for she hath not for
many days received so much as a preserved
Barbery, but it returnes, and all accompa-
nied with a Fever, the mother, and an ex-
tream ill spleen. Whilest I write this Tues-
day morning, from Bartlet house one brings
me a pacquet to your Master: he is gone;
and that Lady and all the company is from
town. I thought I might be pardoned, if
I thought my self your man for that service
to open it, which I did, and for the Letters
I will deliver them. What else you bid
Foster do in his Letter, bid him do it there,
for (so God help me) I know not what it is
Persons of Honour.217
is. I must end now, else the carrier will be
gone. God be with you. Yours intirely.
You know me without a name, and I know
not how this Letter goes. To Sir H. G. SIR, II Hadhad destined all this Tuesday, for the
Court, because it is both a Sermon day,
and the first day of the Kings being here. Be-
fore I was to go forth, I had made up this
inclosed pacquet for you, and then came
this messenger with your pacquet, of which
if you can remember the number, you can-
not expect any account thereof from me,
who have not half an hour left me before
I go forth, and your messenger speakes of a
necessity of returning homward before my
returning home. If upon the delivery of
them, or any other occasion, there intervene
new subject of writing, I shall relieve my self
218Letters to severall
selfe upon Tuesday, if Tamworth carrier be
in town. To the particulars of the Letter
to my self, I will give this paper, and line.
Of my Lady Bedford, I must say so much
as must importune you to burn the Letter;
for I would say nothing of her upon record,
that should not testifie my thankfulnesse
for all her graces. But upon this motion,
which I made to her by letter, and by Sr Tho..
Roes assistance, if any scruple should arise
in her, she was somewhat more startling,
then I looked for from her: she had more
suspicion of my calling, a better memory
of my past life, then I had thought her no-
bility could have admitted: of all which,
though I humbly thank God, I can make
good use, as one that needs as many remem-
brances in that kinde, as not only friends
but enemies can present, yet I am afraid,
they proceed in her rather from some ill
impression taken from D. Burges, then that
they grow in her self. But whosoever be the
conduit, the water is the holy Ghosts, and
in that acceptation I take it. For her other way
Persons of Honour.219
way of expressing her favour to me, I must
say, it is not with that cheerfulnesse, as here-
tofore she hath delivered her self towards
me. I am almost sorry, that an Elegy
should have been able to move her to so
much compassion heretofore, as to offer to
pay my debts; and my greater wants now,
and for so good a purpose, as to come dis-
ingaged into that profession, being plainly
laid open to her, should work no farther
but that she sent me 30l. which in good
faith she excused with that, which is in
both parts true, that her present debts
were burdensome, and that I could
not doubt of her inclination, upon
all future emergent occasions, to assist
me. I confesse to you, her former
fashion towards me, had given a better
confidence; and this diminution in her
makes me see, that I must use more friends,
then I thought I should have needed. I
would you could burn this letter, before you
read it, at least do when you have read it.
For, I am afraid out of a Contemplation of
220Letters to severall
of mine own unworthinesse, and fortune,
that the example of this Lady, should
work upon the Lady where you are: for
though goodnesse be originally in her, and
she do good, for the deeds sake, yet, per-
chance, she may think it a little wisdome,
to make such measure of me, as they who
know no better, do. Of any new treaty of
a match withSpain, I hear nothing. The
warres in the Lowcountries, to judge by their
present state, are very likely to go forward.
No word of a Parliament, and I my self
have heard words of the K. as directly a-
gainst any such purpose, as any can sound.
I never heard word, till in your letter, of
any stirres inScotland, for that of the French
K. which you aske, it hath this good
ground, That in the Assembly there a pro-
position hath been made, and well entertai-
ned, that the K. should be declared, to have
full Jurisdiction in France; and no other
person to have any. It hath much of the
modell and frame of our Oath of Allege-
ance, but with some modification. It is true
Persons of Honour.221
true, it goes farther, then that State hath
drove in any publique declarations, but not
farther then their Schools have drove often
and constantly: the easinesse that it hath
found in passing thus farre without oppo-
sition, puts (perchance unnecessarily) in
me a doubt, that they are sure to choak it,
at the Royall assent, and therefore oppose it
not, by the way, to sweeten the conveyance
of their other purposes. Sir, if I stay longer
I shall lose the Text, at Court, therefore I
kisse your hand, and rest Your very true servant
J. Donne. We hear (but without second as yet)
that Sir Rich. Philips brother in France,
hath taken the habit of a Capuchin. To
222Letters to severall To Sir Thomas Lucy. SIR, THisThis first of Aprill I received yours of
21 of Martii, which being two days
after the ordinary Smithfield day, I could do
no more, but seal this letter to be sent to you
next Tuesday, because I foresee that I shall
not then be in town. Whatsoever I should
write now, of any passages of these days,
would lose the verdure before the letter
came to you, only give me leave to tell you
that I need none of those excuses, which
you have made to your self in my behalfe,
for my not writing. For your son in law
came to me, so near the time of his going a-
way, as it had been impossible to have re-
covered him with a letter at so farre a di-
stance, as he was lodged. And my L. Hunt.
messenger received that answer, which, I
hope, before this time, you know to be
true, that I had sent the day before, by the
infallible carrier of Smithfield. The Empe-
rours death may somewhat shorten our way
Persons of Honour.223
way; for I discern now no reason of going to
Vienna, but I beleeve it wil extēd our busines;
so that I promise my self no speedier return
by that. If I write no letters into England
out of these parts, I cannot be without your
pardon, if I write not to you, but if I
write to any and leave you out, lay all the
faults which you have ever pardoned in me,
to my charge again. I foresee some reasons,
which may make me forbeare; but no
slacknesse of mine own, shall. Sir, if I have
no more the commodity of writing to you
here in England, (as, we may be gon before
next Tuesday) I tell you, in this departing
from you, with the same truth and earnest-
nesse as I would be beleeved to speake in
my last departing, and transmigration
from the whole world, that I leave not be-
hinde me a heart, better affected to you, nor
more devoted to your service, then I carry
with me. Almighty God blesse you, with
such a reparation in your health, such an
establishment in your estate, such a com-
fort in your children, such a peace in your conscience,
224Letters to severall
conscience, and such a true cheerfulnesse in
your heart, as may be strong seales to you,
of his eternall gracious purpose upon you.
This morning I spend in surveying and
emptying my cabinet of Letters; and at
the top of all I light upon this Letter lately
received, which I was loth to bury. I chose
to send it you, to mine own condemnati-
on; because a man so busie as he is, de-
scending to this expressing of himself in
verse, I am inexcusable towards you, for
disobeying a commandement of yours, of
that kinde; but I relie upon the generall,
that I am sure you are sure, that I never re-
fuse any thing for lazinesse, nor morosity,
and therefore make some other excuse for
me. You have been so long used to my hand
that I stand not to excuse the hasty ragged-
nesse of this Letter. The very ilnesse of the
writing, is a good argument that I forced
a time, in the fulnesse of businesse, to kisse
your hand, and to present my thanks as for
all your favours, and benefits, so principal-
ly for keeping me alive in the memory of the
Persons of Honour.225
the noblest Countesse, whose commande-
ment, if it had been her Laps pleasure to
have any thing said or done in her service,
at Heydelberg, I should have been glad to
have received. Sir, God blesse you, & spiritu
principali confirmet te; and 4 Apr. 1619.
Your very true and affectionate servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To the honourable Knight Sr Henry Goodere. SIR, AS you are a great part of my businesse,
when I come to London, so are you
when I send. More then the office of a vi-
sitation brings this Letter to you now; for
I remember that about this time you pur-
posed a journey to fetch, or meet the Lad.
Huntington. If you justly doubt any long
absence, I pray send to my lodging my writ-
ten Books: and if you may stay very long,
I pray send that Letter which I sent you cer-
226Letters to severall
certain heads which I purposed to enlarge,
for I have them not in any other paper:
and I may find time in your absence to do
it, because I know no stronger argument
to move you to love me, but because you
have done so, doe so still, to make my rea-
son better, and I shall at last prescribe in
you Micham Wednesday.
Yours,
J.Donne. To Sir H.G. at Polesworth. SIR, THisThis 25 I have your letter of 21, which
I tell you so punctually, because by it,
nor by any other, I doe not discern that you
received my pacquet of Books; not that I
looked for so quick a return of the Sermon,
nor of my Cases of conscience, but that I
forget so absolutely what I write, and am
so sure that I write confidently to you, that
it is some pain to remain in any jealousie
that any Letter is miscarried. That which I
Persons of Honour.227
I writ to you of my L. Treasur. disposition
to you, I had from Mr Har; and I understood
it to be his desire to convey it through me.
The last account which we have of my
L. Donc. is, by Letters of the 2o of this; by
which also we saw, that the first Letters
of his convalescence, were but propheticall;
for he was let blood a second time, and is
not strong enough yet to receive audience.
Though I be not Dean of Pauls yet, my
L. of Warwick hath gone so low, as to com-
mand of me the office of being Master of
my game, in our wood about him in Essex.
I pray be you content to be my officer too,
the Steward of my services to all to whom
you know them to be due in your walk,
and continue your own assurance that I am Your affectionate servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To
228Letters to severall To my worthy friend F. H. Sir, II Cancan scarce doe any more this week then
send you word why I writ not last. I had
then seposed a few daies for my preparation
to the Communion of our B. Saviours bo-
dy; and in that solitarinesse and arraign-
ment of my self, digested some meditations
of mine, and apparelled them (as I use) in
the form of a Sermon: for since I have not
yet utterly delivered my self from this in-
temperance of scribling (though I thank
God my accesses are lesse and lesse vehe-
ment) I make account that to spend all
my little stock of knowledge upon matter
of delight, were the same error, as to spend
a fortune upon Masks and Banqueting
houses: I chose rather to build in this poor
fashion, some Spittles, and Hospitals, where
the poor and impotent sinner may finde
some relief, or at least understanding of his
infirmity. And if they be too weak to serve
posterity, yet for the present by contempla-
tion of them, &c. To
Persons of Honour.229 To Sir H. G. SIR, II Havehave the honour of your Letter, which,
I am almost sorry to have received: some
few daies before the receit therof D. Turner,
who accompanied my L. Carow to Sion to
dinner, shewed me a Letter from you, from
which I conceived good hopes that your
businesses being devolved into the hands of
the Treasurer, had been in much more for-
wardnesse,then by your Letter to me they
appear to be. I beseech God establish them,
and hasten them, and with them, or with-
out them, as he sees most conducible to his
purpose upon you, continue in you a rely-
ing upon him, and a satisfaction in his
waies. I know not whether any Letter
from your son, or any other report, may
have given you any mention of me; he
writ to me from the Compter, that he was un-
der a trifling arrest, and that 3l and some
little more would discharge him. I sent my
man with that money, but bid him see it em-
230Letters to severall
emploied for his discharge: he found more
actions, and returned. Next day he writ to
me that 8l would discharge him, and that
Mr Selden would lay down half. But Mr
Selden and I speaking together, thought
it the fittest way, to respite all, till, in a few
daies, by his writing to you, we might be
directed therein; and in the mean time,
took order with the Keeper to accommo-
date him, and I bade my man Martin, as
from himself, to serve his present want
with some things. Since we told him, that
we would attend a return of his Letter to
you, I heard no more of him, but I hear he
is out. Whosoever serves you with relati-
ons from this Town, I am sure prevents
me of all I can say. The Palatinate is abso-
lutely lost; for before this Letter come to
you, we make account that Heydelberg and
Frankindale is lost, and Manheme distressed.
Mansfield came to Breda, and Gonzales, to
Brussels, with great losses on both sides, but
equall. The P. of Orange is but now come
to Breda, and with him, all that he is able to
Persons of Honour.231
to make, even out of the Garrisons of their
Towns. The ways of victuall to Spinolaes
Army, are almost all precluded by him,
and he likely to put upon the raising of Spi-
nola, between whom and the Town, there
are hotter disputes, then ever our times
saw. The Secretary of the States here shew-
ed me a Letter yesternight, that the Town
spends 6000 pound of powder a day, and
hath spent since the siege 250m pounds. Ar-
gits Regiment and my L. Vaux, are so dimi-
nished by commings away, as that both (I
think) make not now in Muster above 600.
Mr Gage is returning to Rome, but of his Ne-
gotiation I dare say nothing by a Letter of
adventure. The direction which his Maty
gave for Preachers, had scandalized many;
therefore he descended to pursue them with
certain reasons of his proceedings therein;
and I had commandment to publish them
in a Sermon at the Crosse, to as great a
Congregation as ever I saw together, where
they received comfortable assurance of his
Maties constancy in Religion, and of his de-
sire
232Letters to severall sire that all men should be bred in the
knowledge of such things, as might pre-
serve them from the superstition of Rome.
I presume it is but a little while before we
shall see you here, but that little time is
likely to produce many things greatly con-
siderable. Present, I pray, my thankfull
services to your good daughters. I can
give them no better a room in my pray-
ers, and wishes then my poore Constance
hath, and they have that; so have you Sir,
with Your very true friend and servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.233 To the worthiest Knight Sir Henry Goodere. SIR, OUrOur blessed Saviour, who abounds in
power and goodnesse towards us all,
blesse you, and your family, with blessings
proportioned to his ends in you all, and
blesse you with the testimony of a rectified
conscience, of having discharged all the of-
fices of a father, towards your discreet and
worthy daughters, and blesse them with
a satisfaction, and quiescence, and more,
with a complacency and a joy, in good
ends, and ways towards them, Amen. Your
man brought me your Letter of the 8 of
December this 21 of the same, to Chelsey, and
gives me the largenesse, till friday to send a
letter to Pauls house. There can scarce be any
peece of that, or of those things whereof
you require light from me, that is not
come to your knowledge, by some clearer
way, between the time of your Letter, and
this. Besides the report of my death, hath
thus much of truth in it, that though I be not
234Letters to severall
not dead, yet I am buried within a few
weeks after I immured my self in this
house, the infection strook into the town,
into so many houses, as that it became ill
manners, to make any visits. Therefore I
never went to Knoll, nor Hanworth, nor Ken-
ton, nor to the Court, since the Court came
into these quarters, nor am yet come to
London; therefore I am little able to give
you account of high stages. Perchance you
look not so low, as our ordinary Gazetta,
and that tells us, (with a second assurance)
that the D. of Brunswick, Christian, is dead
of an Ague. My L. of Dorset even upon the
day, when he should have been installed
with his six fellowes, fell sick at London; and
at Court (which does not exalt all men)
his Fever was exalted to the plague; but he
is in good convalescence. Of the Navy I hear
of no great lim come back yet, but my L. of
Essex; something of the disappointing of the
designe they had, is imputed to some diffe-
rence, in point of command, between him
and the Mr. of the Ordinance, my L. of Va-
lencia,
Persons of Honour.235 lencia, but as yet, there is little manifested.
Already is issued a Proclamation, that there
be no disbanding of the Souldiers, upon
their landing, in what part soever, and that
his Majesty hath present imployment for
them. What the main busines at Haghe hath
been, I know nothing; but I hear, that their
offer of pawning of Jewells to a very very
great value, to the States or private men,
hath found no acceptance, at least found no
money. Occasionally I heard from the
Haghe, that the Queen having taken into
her care, the promoving and advancing of
some particular mens businesses, by way of
recommendations to the Duke, expressed
her self very royally, in your behalf. This
I tell you not, as though you knew it not,
but because I had the fortune to see it in a
Letter of the simple Gentlewoman, from
thence; by which name, if you know her
not, I have omitted heretofore to tell you a
good tale. They continue at Court, in the
resolution of the Queen pastorall; when
Q. Anne loved gamboils, you loved the Court;
236Letters to severall
Court; perchance you may doubt whether
you be a thorough Courtier, if you come
not up to see this, The Queen a Shepper-
desse: but I speak not this, by way of coun-
sail, to draw you up, it is not only Non Do-
minus, sed ego, but nec Deus nec ego, to call you
hither, but upon fair appearances of usefull
commings. Mr George Herbert is here at
the receipt of your letter, and with his ser-
vice to you, tells you that all of Uvedall house
are well. I reserve not the mention of my
Lady Huntington to the end of my Letter, as
grains to make the gold weight, but as
tincture to make the better gold, when you
finde room to intrude so poor and imper-
tinent a name, as mine is, in her presence. I
beseech you, let her Lad: know, that she hath
sowed her favours towards me, in such a
ground, that if I be grown better (as I hope
I am) her favours are grown with me, and
though they were great when she conferred
them, yet, (if I mend every day) they in-
crease in me every day, and therefore every
day multiply my thankfulnesse towards her
Persons of Honour.237
her Ladiship: say what you will (if you
like not this expression) that may make
her Ladiship know, that I shall never let
fall the memory, nor the just valuation of
her noble favours to me, nor leave them
unrequited in my Exchequer, which is, the
blessings of God upon my prayers. If I
should write another sheet, I should be able
to serve your curiosity no more of Dukes
nor LL. nor Courts, and this half line
serves to tell you, that I am truly Your poor friend and humble servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To my honoured friend G. G. Esquire. SIR, NEitherNeither your Letters, nor silence, needs
excuse; your friendship is to me an
abundant possession, though you remem-
ber me but twice in a year: He that could
have two harvests in that time, might just-
ly value his land at a high rate; but, Sir, as
we doe not onely then thank our land, when
238Letters to severall
when we gather the fruit, but acknowledge
that all the year she doth many motherly
offices in preparing it: so is not friendship
then onely to be esteemed, when she is de-
livered of a Letter, or any other reall office,
but in her continuall propensnesse and in-
clination to do it. This hath made me
easie in pardoning my long silences, and in
promising my self your forgivenesse for not
answering your Letter sooner. For my pur-
pose of proceeding in the profession of the
law, so farre as to a title you may be pleased
to correct that imagination, wheresoever
you finde it. I ever thought the study of it
my best entertainment, and pastime, but I
have no ambition, nor designe upon the
style. Of my Anniversaries, the fault that
I acknowledge in my self, is to have descen-
ded to print any thing in verse, which
though it have excuse even in our times, by
men who professe, and practise much gra-
vitie; yet I confesse I wonder how I de-
clined to it, and do not pardon my self: But
for the other part of the imputation of having said
Persons of Honour.239
said too much, my defēce is, that my purpose
was to say as well as I could: for since I never
saw the Gentlewoman, I cannot be under-
stood to have bound my self to have spoken
just truths, but I would not be thought to
have gone about to praise her, or any other
in rime; except I took such a person, as
might be capable of all that I could say.
If any of those Ladies think that Mistris
Drewry was not so, let that Lady make her
self fit for all those praises in the book, and
they shall be hers. Sir, this messenger
makes so much haste that I cry you mercy
for spending any time of this letter in other
imployment then thanking you for yours.
I hope before Christmas to see England, and
kisse your hand; which shall ever, (if it dis-
dain not that office) hold all the keyes of
the libertie and affection, and all the facul-
ties of Paris the 14 of
Aprill, here, 1612.
Your most affectionate servant,
J. D. To
240Letters to severall To my honoured friend G. G. Esquire. SIR, II Shouldshould not only send you an account by
my servant, but bring you an account of-
ten my self, (for our Letters are our selves)
and in them absent friends meet) how I
do, but that two things make me forbear
that writing: first, because it is not for my
gravity, to write of feathers, and strawes,
and in good faith, I am no more, conside-
red in my body, or fortune. And then be-
cause whensoever I tell you how I doe, by
a Letter, before that Letter comes to you,
I shall be otherwise, then when it left me.
At this time, I humbly thank God, I am
only not worse; for, I should as soon look
for Roses at this time of the year, as look
for increase of strength. And if I be no
worse all spring, then now, I am much bet-
ter, for, I make account that those Church
services, which I would be very loth to de-
cline, will spend somewhat; and, if I can
gather so much as will bear my charges, re-
cover
Persons of Honour.241 cover so much strength at London, as I shall
spend at London, I shall not be loth to be left
in that state wherein I am now, after that's
done; But I do but discourse, I do not wish;
life, or health, or strength, (I thank God) en-
ter not into my prayers for my self: for
others they do; and amongst others, for
your sick servant, for such a servant taken
so young, and healed so long, is half a child
to a master, and so truly I have observed
that you have bred him, with the care of
a father. Our blessed Saviour look graci-
ously upon him, and glorifie himself in
him, by his way of restitution to health;
And by his way of peace of conscience in Your very true friend and servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. om SIR, THisThis advantage you, and my other
friends have, by my frequent Fevers,
that I am so much the oftener at the gates of
242Letters to severall
of heaven, and this advantage by the soli-
tude and close imprisonment that they re-
duce me to after, that I am thereby the ofte-
ner at my prayers; in which, I shall never
leave out your happinesse; and, I doubt
not, but amongst his many other blessings,
God will adde to you some one for my
prayers. A man would almost be content
to dye, (if there were no other benefit in
death) to hear of so much sorrow, and so
much good testimony from good men, as
I, (God be blessed for it) did upon the re-
port of my death. Yet, I perceive it went not
through all; for, one writ unto me, that some
(and he said of my friends) conceived,
that I was not so ill, as I pretended, but
withdrew my self, to save charges, and to
live at ease, discharged of preaching. It is
an unfriendly, and God knows, an ill
grounded interpretation: for in these
times of necessity, and multitudes of poor
there is no possibility of saving to him that
hath any tendernesse in him; and for af-
fecting my ease, I have been always more sorry,
Persons of Honour.243
sorry, when I could not preach, then any
could be, that they could not hear me. It
hath been my desire, (and God may be
pleased to grant it me) that I might die in
the Pulpit; if not that, yet that I might take
my death in the Pulpit, that is, die the
sooner by occasion of my former labours.
I thanke you, for keeping our George in
in your memory, I hope God reserves it
for so good a friend as you are, to send me
the first good newes of him. For the Dia-
mond Lady, you may safely deliver Roper,
whatsoever belongs to me, and he will
give you a discharge for the money. For
my L. Percy, we shall speake of it, when
we meet at London; which, as I do not
much hope before Christmas, so I do not
much fear at beginning of Tearm; for I
have intreated one of my fellowes to preach
to my Lord Maior, at Pauls upon Christ-
mas day, and reserved Candlemas day to
my self for that service, about which time
also, will fall my Lent Sermon, except
my Lord Chamberlaine beleeve me to be dead
244Letters to severall
dead, and leave me out; for as long as
I live, and am not speechlesse, I would
not decline that service. I have better lea-
sure to write, then you to read, yet I will
not oppresse you with too much letter, God
blesse you, and your sonne, as Your poor friend and humble servant
in Christ Jesus
J. Donne. To the Lady G. Madam, II Amam not come out of England, if I re-
main in the Noblest part of it, your
minde; yet I confesse, it is too much di-
minution to call your minde, any part of
England, or of this world, since every
part even of your body, deserves titles of
higher dignity. No Prince would be loth
to die, that were assured of so faire a tombe to
Persons of Honour.245
to preserve his memory: but I have a grea-
ter vantage then so; for since there is a Re-
ligion in friendship, and a death in absence,
to make up an intire frame there must be a
heaven too: and there can be no heaven so
proportionall to that Religion, and that
death, as your favour. And I am gladder
that it is a heaven, then that it were a Court,
or any other high place of this world,
because I am likelier to have a room
there then here; and better cheap. Madam
my best treasure, is time; and my best im-
ployment of that, is to study good wishes
for you, in which I am by continuall medi-
tation so learned, that your own good An-
gell, when it would do you most good,
might be content to come and take in-
structions from Your humble and affectionate servant
J. Donne. To
246Letters to severall To your selfe. Sir,
NEitherNeither first of this moneth I received a
Letter from you, no Letter comes so
late, but that it brings fresh newes hither.
Though I presume, Mr Pore, and since,
Sir Rob. Rich came after the writing of that
Letter, yet it was good newes to me, that
you thought me worthy of so good a testi-
mony. And you were subtile in the dis-
guise: for you shut up your Letter, thus,
Lond. 22. in our stile, but I am not so good
a Cabalist, as to finde in what moneth it
was written. But, Sir, in the offices of so
spirituall a thing as friendship, so momen-
tary a thing as time, must have no consi-
deration. I keep it therefore to read every
day, as newly written: to which vexati-
on it must be subject, till you relieve it
with an other. If I ought you not a great
many thankes for every particular part of
it, I should yet thanke you for the length; and
Persons of Honour.247
and love it, as my mistresses face, every line
and feature, but best all together. All that I
can do towards retribution, is, (as other
bankrupts do in prison) to make means
by Commissioners, that a great debt may be
accepted by small summes weekly. And
in that proportion I have paid my tribute
to you, almost ever since I came, and
shall still do so. You know that they say,
those are the strongest, and the firmest, and
most precious things, which are composed
of the most, and smallest parts. I will
flatter my self therefore, that the number
of my Letters may at last make a strong
argument of my desire to serve you, but
because I remember, out of this Philoso-
phy, that they should be little, as well as
many, lest this Letter should not get in-
to the building, it shall be no bigger; thus
much addition will not much disfigure it,
that is sweare to you that I am Your affectionate servant
J. Donne. Sir,
248Letters to severall Sir, I cry you mercy for sealing your sisters let-
ter, but I deliver you up my authority, and I re-
member you, that you have hers to open it again.
You will the easilier forgive me, that I write no
newes, when you observe by this transgression,
that I live in a place which hath quenched in me
even the remembrance of good manners. By na-
ming her, I have made my postscript the wor-
thyest place of my letter: and therefore I chuse
that place to present my service to all the company
at our lodging; in which house, if I cannot get
room for a pallat, at my return, my comfort is,
that I can ever hope to be so near them as the Spittle
in the Savoy, where they receive Travellers. To
Persons of Honour.249 To the Honourable Knight, Sir
R o b e r t K a r r e. Robert Karre. Sir, THoughThough I have left my bed, I have not
left my bed-side; I sit there still, and
as a Prisoner discharged, sits at the Prison
doore, to beg Fees, so sit I here, to gather
crummes. I have used this leisure, to put
the meditations had in my sicknesse, into
some such order, as may minister some ho-
ly delight. They arise to so many sheetes
(perchance 20.) as that without staying
for that furniture of an Epistle, that my
Friends importun'd me to Print them, I im-
portune my Friends to receive them Printed.
That, being in hand, through this long
Trunke, that reaches from Saint Pauls, to
Saint James, I whisper into your eare this
question, whether there by any uncomli-
nesse, or unseasonablenesse, in presenting
matter of Devotion, or Mortification, to that
250Letters to severall
that Prince, whom I pray God nothing
may ever Mortifie, but Holinesse. If you
allow my purposes in generall, I pray cast
your eye upon the Title and the Epistle,
and rectifie me in them: I submit sub-
stance, and circumstance to you, and the
poore Author of both, Your very humble and very thankfull
Servant
in Christ Jesus
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.251 To your selfe. Sir, AGEAge becomes nothing better then
Friendship; therefore your Letters,
which are ever good effects of friendship,
delight to be old before I receive them: for
it is but a fortnight since those Letters
which you sent by Captain Peter found me
at Spâ; presently upon the receit, I adven-
tured by your leave to bestow the first mi-
nutes upon this Letter to your faire Noble
Sister; And because I found no voice at
Spâ of any Messenger, I respited my Wri-
ting to you, till I came thus much nearer.
Upon the way hither, another Letter from
you overtooke me, which by my L. Chan-
dos love to me for your sake, was sent after
me to Mastricht: He came to Spâ within
two houres after I went away; which I
tell you to let you see, that my For-
tune hath still that spitefull constancy, to
bring me near my desires, and intercept me. If
252Letters to severall
If I should write to you any newes from
this place, I should forestall mine owne
Market, by telling you beforehand that
which must make me acceptable to you at
my comming. I shall sneake into London,
about the end of August. In my remotest di-
stances I did not more need your Letters
then I shall then. Therefore if you shall
not be then in London, I beseech you to think
mee at Constantinople, and write one
large Letter to be left at my Ladie Bartlets
my lodging; for I shall come in extreame
darknesse and ignorance, except you give
me light. If Sir John Brooke be within
your reach, present my humble service and
thankfulnesse to him; if he be not, I am
glad, that to my Conscience, which is a
thousand witnesses, I have added you for
one more, that I came as near as I could to
doe it. I shall run so fast from this place,
through Antwerpe, and some parts of Hol-
land, that all that love which you could
perchance be content to expresse by Let-
ters if I lay still, may be more thriftily be-
stowed
Persons of Honour.253 stowed upon that one Letter, which is by
your favour, to meet me, and to welcome
to London Your unworthy, but very
true Friend,
J. Donne. Sir, ITIt is one ill Affection of a desperate
debtor, that he dares not come to an ac-
count, nor take knowledge how much he
owes; this make me that I dare not tell
you how manie letters I have received from
you since I came to this Towne; I had three
the first by the Cooke, who brought none
but yours, nor ever came to me, to let me
know what became of the rest: the two o-
ther of the 7. and 8. of March, came in a let-
ter which Sir H. Wotton writ to me from Amyens;
254Letters to severall
Amyens; there is not a size of paper in the
Palace, large enough to tell you how
much I esteeme my selfe honoured in your
remembrances; nor strong enough to wrap
up a heart so ful of good affections towards
you, as mine is. When any thing passes be-
tween Sir Thomas Roe and you, tell him I am
not the lesse his Servant, for not saying so
by often letters: for by my troth, I am that
so much as he could desire I should be,
when he began to love me. Sir Thomas Lu-
cies businesse, and perchance sadnesse for-
bid me writing now. I have written to him
(whilst I lived in darknesse, whether my
Letters came to you or no) by another way;
and if my poore Letters were any degree
of service. I should doe it often, and rather
be mine own Post, then leave any thing
undone, to which he would give such an
interpretation, as that it were an Argument
of my Devotion to him. For my purpose
of proceeding in the profession of the Law,
so far as to a Title, you may be pleased to
correct that imagination where you finde it
Persons of Honour.255
it. I ever thought the study of it my best
entertainment and pastime, but I have no
ambition, nor design upon the Stile. Of my
Anniversaries the fault which I acknow-
ledge in my selfe, is to have descended to
print any thing in Verse, which though it
have excuse, even in our times, by example
of men, which one would thinke should
as little have done it, as I; yet I confesse I
wonder how I declined to it, and doe not
pardon my self. But for the other part of the
imputation, of having said so much, my de-
fence is, that my purpose was to say as well
as I could: for since I never saw the Gentle-
woman, I cannot be understood to have
bound my selfe to have spoken just Truth:
but I would not be thought to have gone
about to praise any body in rime, except I
tooke such a Person, as might be capable
of all that I could say. If any of those La-
dies think that Mistris Drury was not so,
let that Ladie make her selfe fit for all the
those praises in the Booke, and it shall be
hers. Nothing is farther from colour or ground
256Letters to severall
ground of Truth, then that which you
write of Sir Robert Druries going to Masse.
No man of our Nation hath been more
forward to apply himselfe to the Church
of the Religion where he hath come, nor
to relieve their wants, where that Demon-
stration hath been needfull. I know not
yet whether Sir John Brookes, purpose of be-
ing very shortly here, be not a just reason
to make me forbear writing to him. I am
sure that I would fainest do that in writing
or abstaining which should be most accep-
table to him. It were in vain to put into
this letter any relation of the Magnificence
which have been here at publication of
these marriages, for at this time there come
into England so many Frenchmen, as I am
sure you shall heare all at least. If they speak
not of above eight hundred horse well ca-
parosond, you may believe it: and you
may believe, that no Court in Christen-
dome had been able to have appeared so
brave in that kinde. But if they tell you of
any other stuffe, then Copper, or any other exercise
Persons of Honour.257
exercise of armes then running at the Quin-
tain, and the Ring, you may be bold to
say Pardone moy. Sir, this messenger makes
so much haste that I cry you mercy for
spending any time of this Letter, in other
imployment, then thanking you for
yours, and promising you more before
my remove from hence. I pray venture no
Letter to me by any other way then M.
John Bruer at the Queens Armes a Mercer
in Cheapside, who is always like to know
where we are; And make me by loving
me still, worthy to be Your friend and servant
J. Donne. To
258Letters to severall To my Honoured friend Mr George
Gerrard. Sir, II Cannotcannot chuse but make it a presage that
I shall have no good fortune in England,
that I mist the honour of enjoying that
company, which you brought to town. But
I beseech you let my ill luck determine in
that ominousnesse: for if my not comming
should be by her or you interpreted for a
negligence or coldnesse in me, I were
already in actually and present affliction. For
that Ecclesiasticall Lady of whom you
write, since I presume it is a work of dark-
nesse that you go about, we will deferre
it for winter. Perchance the cold weather,
may be as good physique to you, as she,
for quenching you. I have changed my
purpose of going to Windsor, and will go
directly into the Wight: which I tell you
not as a concerning thing, but in obedi-
ence
Persons of Honour.259 ence to your commandement, as one
poor testimony that I am Your affectionate servant
J. Donne. To my very worthy friend Mr George
Gerrard. Sir, THisThis is the fourth of this moneth, and
I receive your Pacquet so late, that I
have scarce waking time enough to tell
you so, or to write any thing but dreams.
I have both your Letters, mother and
daughter, and am gladder of them, then if
I had the mother and daughter here in our
neighbourhood; you know I mean Sir
H. Gooderes parties. Sir, you do me double
honour when my name passes through
you to that Noble Lady in whose presence
you are. It is a better end and a better way to
260Letters to severall
to that then I am worth. I can give you no-
thing in recompense of that favor, but
good counsell: which is to speake sparing-
ly of any ability in me, lest you indanger
your own reputation, by overvaluing me.
If I shall at any time take courage by your
Letter, to expresse my meditations of
that Lady in writing, I shall scarce think
lesse time to be due to that employment,
then to be all my life in making those
verses, and so take them with me and sing
them amongst her fellow Angels in Hea-
ven. I should be loath that in any thing of
mine, composed of her, she should not
appear much better then some of those of
whom I have written. And yet I cannot
hope for better expressings then I have gi-
ven of them. So you see how much I
should wrong her, by making her but
equall to others. I would I could be be-
leeved, when I say that all that is written of
them, is but prophecy of her. I must use
your favour in getting her pardon, for
having brought her into so narrow, and low-
Persons of Honour.261
low-rooft a room as my consideration, or
for adventuring to give any estimation of
her, and when I see how much she can
pardon, I shall the better discern how far
farther I may dare to offend in that kinde.
My noble neighbour is well, and makes
me the steward of his service to you. Be-
fore this Letter reaches you, I presume you
will bee gathering towards these parts,
and then all newes will meet you so
fast, as that out of your abundance you
will impart some to Your affectionate friend to
serve you
J. Donne. To
262Letters to severall To your selfe. Sir, ALlAll your other Letters, which came
to me by more hazardous waies, had
therefore much merit in them; but for
your Letter by M. Pory, it was but a little
degree of favour, because the messenger
was so obvious, and so certain, that you
could not chuse but write by him. But since
he brought me as much Letter as all the
rest, I must accept that, as well as the rest.
By this time, M. Garret, when you know
in your conscience that you have sent no
Letter, you beginne to look upon the su-
perscription, and doubt that you have
broken up some other bodies Letter: but
whose so ever it were it must speak the same
language, for I have heard from no body.
Sir, if there be a Proclamation in England
against writing to me, since it is there-
by become a matter of State, you might
have told M. Pory so. And you might have told
Persons of Honour.263
told him, what became of Sir Tho. Lucies
Letter, in my first pacquet, (for any
Letter to him makes any paper a pacquet,
and any peece of single money a Medall)
and what became of my Lady Kingsmels in
my second, and of hers in my third, whom
I will not name to you in hope that it is pe-
rished, and you lost the honour of giving it.
Sir, mine own desire of being your servant,
hath sealed me a Patent of that place du-
ring my life, and therefore it shall not be
in the power of your forbidding, (to which
your stiffe silence amounts) to make me
leave being Your very affectionate servant
J. Donne. To
264Letters to severall To my Honoured friend M. George Garrat. Sir, II Wouldwould I were so good an Alchimist to
perswade you that all the vertue of the
best affections, that one could expresse in
a sheet, were in this ragge of paper. It be-
comes my fortune to deale thus in single
money; and I may hit better with this
hail-shot of little Letters (because they may
come thick) then with great bullets; and
trouble my friends lesse. I confesse it were
not long enough if it came to present my
thankes for all the favours you have done
me; but since it comes to begge more, per-
chance it may be long enough, because I
know not how short you will be with an
absent friend. If you will but write that you
give me leave to keep that name still, it
shall be the gold of your Letter: and for
allay, put in as much newes as you will.
We are in a place where scarce any money
appeares, but base: as, I confesse, all mat-
ters
Persons of Honour.265 ters of Letters is in respect of the testimo-
nies of friendship; but obey the corrupti-
on of this place, and fill your Letters
with worse stuffe then your own. Present
my service to all those Gentlemen whom I
had the honour to serve at our lodging, I
cannot flie an higher pitch, then to say , that
I am so much their servants as you can say I
am. At the Queens armes in Cheapside,
which is a Mercers, you may hear of one
M. John Brewer, who will convay any Let-
ter directed to me at Sir Rob. Druries at
Amiens, though he know not me: and I
should be glad to hear that this first that I
sent into England had the fortune to finde
you. Yours
J. Donne. To
266Letters to severall To your fair sister. Madam, THeThe dignity, and the good fortune due
to your Letter, hath preserved a pac-
quet so well, that through France and
Germany it is at last come to me at Spâ.
This good experience makes me in despite
of contrary appearances, hope that I shall
finde some messenger for this, before I re-
move, though it be but two dayes. For,
even Miracles are but little and slight things,
when any thing which either concernes
your worthinesse is in consideration or my
valuation of it. If I faile in this hope of a
messenger, I shall not grudge to do my selfe
this service of bringing it into England, that
you may hear me say there, that I have
thus much profited by the honour of your
conversation, and Contemplation, that I
am, as your vertues are, every where
equall; and that, that which I shall say
then at London, I thought and subscribed at
Persons of Honour.267
at Spâ, which is, that I will never be any
thing else, then Your very humble and affectionate servant
J. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir
Henry Goodere. Sir, BEcauseBecause to remain in this sort guilty in
your Lordships opinion doth not one-
ly defeat all my future indevours, but lay a
heavyer burden upon me, of which I am
more sensible, which is ingratitude to-
wards your Lordship, by whose favours I
have been formerly so much bound; I hope
your Lordship will pardon me this care
and diligence which I use to rectifie
my self towards you. To which purpose I
humbly beseech your Lordship, to admit
thus much into your consideration, that I nei-
268Letters to severall
neither hunted after this businesse at first,
but apprehended it as it was presented to
me, and might perchance have fallen into
worse hands, nor proceeded otherwise ther-
in, then to my poor discretion at that time
seemed lawfull and requisite and necessa-
ry for my reputation, who held my selfe
bound to be able to give satisfaction to any
who should doubt of the case. Of all which,
if your Lordship were returned to your
former favourable opinions of me, you
might be pleased to make this some argu-
ment, that after his Majesty had shewed his
inclination to the first motion made in my
behalf, I was not earnest to urge and solicit
that advantage of priority, but as became
me, contented my self to joyne with him
who had made a later petition therein: and
as soon as I understood how it was opposed
or distasted, I threw it down at your Lord-
ships feet, and abandoned it to your pleasure.
Which it is necessary for me to say at this
time, left, if he who was interessed with me
in that businesse shall have proceeded any far-
Persons of Honour.269
farther therein since that time, your Lord-
ship might conceive new suspicions of me.
That your Lordships name was at all used
therein, or that any words of mine occasi-
oned such an errour in my servant, I am
so sorry as nothing but a conscience of a
true guiltinesse of having performed an in-
jury to your Lordship (which can never
fall upon me) could affect me more. But
I, who to the measure of my comprehen-
sion, have ever understood your Lordships
nobility and evenness, cannot fear that your
Lordship will punish an oversight, like a
crime: which should be effected upon me,
if your Lordship should continue your dis-
favour towards me, since no penalty could
come so burdenous to my minde and to my
fortune as that. And since the repose of
both consists in your Lordships favour, I
humbly intreat to be restored to your fa-
vour, giving your Lordship my faith in
pawn that I wil be as wary of forfeting it by
any second occasion, as I am sorry for this. Yours
J. D. To
270Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert
Karre. Sir, II Hadhad rather like the first best; not onely
because it is cleanlier, but because it re-
flects least upon the other party, which,
in all just and earnest, in this affair, I wish
avoided. If my Muse were onely out of
fashion, and but wounded and maimed
like Free-will in the Roman Church, I should
adventure to put her to an Epithalamion.
But since she is dead, like Free-will in our
Church, I have not so much Muse left as
to lament her losse. Perchance this busi-
nesse may produce occasions, wherein I
may expresse my opinion of it, in a more
serious manner. Which I speaker neither up-
on any apparent conjecture, nor upon any
overvaluing of my abilities, but out of a
generall readinesse and alacrity to be ser-
viceable and gratefull in any kinde. In
both which poore vertues of mine, none can
Persons of Honour.271
can pretend a more primary interest, then
you may, in Your humble and affectionate servant
J. Donne To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert Karre
Gentleman of his Highnesses Bedchamber. Sir, II Havehave often sinned towards you, with a
presumption of being pardoned, but
now I do it, without hope, and without
daring to intreat you to pardon the fault.
In which there are thus many degrees of
importunity. That I must begge of you to
christen a child, which is but a daughter,
and in which you must be content to be
associated with Ladies of our own alli-
ance, but good women, and all this up-
on Thursday next in the afternoon. Sir, I
have so many and so indeleble impressions of
272Letters to severall
of your favour to me, as they might
serve to spread over all my poor race. But
since I see that I stand like a tree, which
once a year beares, though no fruit, yet
this Mast of children, and so am sure,
that one year or other I should afflict you
with this request, I had rather be present-
ly under the obligations and the thankful-
nesse towards you, then meditate such a
trouble to you against another year. I was
desirous this paper might kisse your hands
as soon as you came, that if any other di-
versions made this inconvenient to you, I
might have an other exercise of your favor,
by knowing so much from you, who in
every act of yours make me more and more 17 Aprill.
Your humble and thankfull servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.273 To the Honourable Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. Sir, PErchance others may have told you,
that I am relapsed into my Fever: but
that which I must intreat you to condole
with me, is, that I am relapsed into good
degrees of health; your cause of sorrow for
that, is, that you are likely to be the more
troubled with such an impertinencie, as I
am; and mine is, that I am fallen from
fair hopes, of ending all; yet I have scaped
no better cheap, then that I have paid
death one of my Children for my Ran-
some. Because I loved it well, I make
account that I dignifie the memorie of it,
by mentioning of it to you, else I should
not be so homely. Impute this brevitie
of writing to you upon no Subject, to my
sicknesse, in which men use to talke idly:
but my profession of desiring to bee re-
tained
274Letters to severall tained in your memorie, impute to your
owne Vertues, which have wrought so
much upon Your humble servant
John Donne. To the Honourable Knight, Sir Robert Karre. Sir, II Makemake account that it is a day of great
distribution of Honours at Court: I
would not therefore lose my part, and in-
crease therein; since very Letter admitted
by you from mee, is a new stone in my best
building, which is, my roome in your ser-
vice: so much you adde to me, everie time
you give me leave thus to kisse your hands.
But, Sir, everie addition preimagins a bee-
ing, and the time of my beeing and Cre-
ation is not yet come: which I am sure
you will advance; because else I am no
competent Subject of your favours, and
additions. I know, by your forbearing to
Persons of Honour.275
to tell mee so, that my L. hath had no
commoditie to move the K. and if this
Paper speake one word of difference, or
impatience in my name, by my troth it
lies. Onely give it leave to tell you, that
that L. whom perchance the K. may bee
pleased to heare in it, is an old and mo-
mentanie man, and it may be late labour-
ing for his assistance, next Winter. Besides,
since it may bee possible that the Master
of the Rolles may a little relent this suite,
there could no fitter time, then now, to
make him easie, as things stand with him
at this time. If you stay in Towne this
Night, and no longer, I beseech you af-
ford me a few of your late Minutes at your
own lodging, where I will wait upon you
according to any directions, which by
this Gent. or otherwise I shall receive from
you. Your humble servant
John Donne. To
276Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. Sir, IFIf I would calumniate, I could say no
ill of that Gentleman: I know not
whether my L. or my selfe tooke the first
apprehension of it; but I remember that
very soone wee concurred in a good opi-
nion of him; thereupon for justifying
our owne forwardnesse, wee observed
him more throughly, and found all the
way good reason to ratifie our first esti-
mation of him. This gave my L. oc-
casion to send him abroade in his Service
after: how hee satisfied him in that im-
ployment, indeed I know not. But,
that I disguise nothing, I remember my
L. told mee sometimes in his absence,
that hee had not Account from him of
some things, which hee had deposed in him.
Persons of Honour.277
him. And at his entering into his
Coach, at his last going, I asked my L.
Goes not the Gentleman with you? and
hee told mee with some coldnesse no. So
that if you bee not pressed to a Resolu-
tion, you may bee pleased to forbeare a
few dayes, till I may occasionally dis-
cerne, whether hee have demerited or
sunke in my L. opinion: And then
you shall have another Character of him
from 25. Julii.
Your very humble and thankfull
Servant
J. Donne. To
278Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight, Sir Robert Karre.
SIR, THEThe same houre that I received the
honour of your commandments, by
your letter left at my poore house, I put
my selfe upon the way hither. So that I
am here in the habite of a Traveller, and
(suitable to the rest of my unworthinesses)
unfit for great Presences. Therefore, I ab-
stain from waiting upon you presently;
besides that in this abstinence, (except I
misinterpret the last words of your letter to
my advantage) I obey your directions,
in sending before I come to you. How-
soever, Sir, I am intirely at your disposing,
if you will be pleased to adde this favor to
the rest, that I may understand, wherein
you will use your Authoritie and Power,
which you have over Your poore and humble servant
John Donne.
Persons of Honour.279 To the Honourable Knight, Sir Robert Karre. SIR, THisThis is but a Postscript to the last
Letter, and it is onely to tell you,
that it was an impertinent jealousie
that I conceived of that Gentlemans ab-
sence from my L. for he gives that full Te-
stimonie of him, that he never discerned
any kinde of unfitnesse in him for any im-
ployment, except too much goodnesse; and
Conscientiousnesse may sometimes make
him somewhat lesse fit for some kindes of
businesse, then a man of a looser raine.
And this is all, that I conceive to have been
in the commandment wherewith you ho-
noured 2. Aug 1622.
Your very humble and thankfull
Servant in Christ Jesus
John Donne: To
280Letters to severall To my Honoured Friend, Master
George Gherard. Sir, YOurYour letter was the more welcome to
mee, because it brought your com-
mandment with it, of sending you per-
fumes: for it is a Service somewhat like
a Sacrifice. But yet your commandment
surprised me, when neither I had enough
to send, nor had means to recover more;
that Ladie being out of Towne which
gave them me. But Sir, if I had 10000000.
I could send you no more then I doe; for
I send all. If any good occasion present it
selfe to you, to send to my L. Clifford, spare
my name a roome, there where you offer
him most of your Service. I dare contend
with you, that you cannot exceed mee, in
desiring to serve him. It is a better office
from me to you, that I goe to bed, then that
I write a longer letter. For if I doe mine
eyes a little more injurie, I shall lose the honour
Persons of Honour.281
honour of seeing you at Michaelmas; for
by my troth I am almost blinde: you may
be content, to beleeve that I am always
disposed to your service, without excepti-
on of any time, since now just at mid-
night, when it is both day, and night,
and neither, I tell you that I am Your affectionate friend and servant
J. Donne To my very much honoured friend George
Garrard Esquire at Sion. Sir, II Knowknow not which of us wonne it by the
hand, in the last charge of Letters. If
you wonne, you wonne nothing, because
I am nothing, or whatsoever I am, you
wonne nothing, because I was all yours be-
fore. I doubt not but I were better delive-
red
282Letters to severall red of dangers of relapses, if I were at Lon-
don; but the very going would indanger
me. Upon which true debility, I was for-
ced to excuse my selfe to my Lord Cham-
berlaine, from whom I had a Letter of
command to have Preached the fifth of
November Sermon to the King. A service
which I would not have declined, if I
could have conceived any hope of standing
it. I beseech you intreat my Lord Percy in
my behalfe, that he will be pleased to name
George to my L. Carlile, and to wonder, if
not to inquire, where he is. The world is
disposed to charge my Lords honour, and
to charge my naturall affection with neg-
lecting him, and, God knowes, I know
not which way to turn towards him; nor
upon any message of mine, when I send to
kisse my Lords hands, doth my Lord make
any kinde of mention of him. For the Dia-
mond Lady, when time serves, I pray
look to it; for I would fain be discharged
of it. And for the rest, let them be but re-
membred how long it hath been in my hands,
Persons of Honour.283
hands, and then leave it to their discretion.
If they incline to any thing, I should chuse
shirt Hollond, rather under then above 4 s.
Our blessed Saviour multiply his blessings
upon that noble family where you are, and
your self, and your sonne; as upon all
them that are derived from Your poor friend and servant
J. Donne. To my very much respected friend Mr.
George Garrard. Sir, I Thank you for expressing your love to
me, by this diligence, I know you can
distinguish between the voyces of my love,
and of necessity, if any thing in my
Letters found like an importunity. Besides,
I will adde thus much out of counsell to you,
284Letters to severall
you, that you can do nothing so thriftily as
to keep in your purpose of the payment of the
rest of this years rent, (though at your con-
veniency) for Sir E. H. curiosity being so
served at first, I shall be no farther cause,
but that the rest be related, and you in as
good possession of his love, and to as good
use, as your love deserves of him. You
mocke us when you aske news from hence.
All is created there, or relates thither where
you are. For that book which you com-
mand me to send, I held it but half an hour:
which served me to read those few leafes,
which were directed upon some few lines
of my book. If you come to town quick-
ly, you may get a fair widow: for Mris
Brown is fallen to that state of death of her
husband. No man desires your comming
more, nor shall be readier to serve you, then Your affectionate friend and servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.285 To my Honoured friend M. George Gherard,
over against Salisbury house. Sir, II Dodo not make account that I am come to
London, when I get within the wall: that
which makes it London is the meeting of
friends. I cannot therefore otherwise bid
my self welcome to London, then by seeking
of you, which both Sir H. Goodere and I do,
with so much diligence, as that this mes-
senger comes two dayes before to intreat
you from us both, to reserve your self upon
Saterday: so that I may, at our coming to
London that night, understand at my house
where I may send you word of our supping
place that night, and have the honour of
your company. So you lay more obligati-
ons upon Your poor unprofitable servant
J. Donne.
286Letters to severall To my very much Honoured friend George
Garret Esquire Sir, WHenWhen we thinke of a friend,we
do not count that a lost thought,
though that friend never knew of it. If we
write to a friend, we must not call it a lost
Letter, though it never finde him to whom
it was addressed: for we owe our selves
that office, to be mindefull of our friends.
In payment of that debt, I send out this
Letter, as a Sentinell Perdue; if it finde you,
it comes to tell you, that I was possessed
with a Fever, so late in the year, that I am
afraid I shall not recover confidence to
come to London till the spring be a little ad-
vanced. Because you did our poore family
the favour, to mention our George in your
Letters to Spain, with some earnestnesse,
I should wonder if you never had any
thing from thence concerning him; he
having been now, divers moneths, in Spaine.
Persons of Honour.287
Spaine. If you be in London and the Lady
of the Jewell there too, at your conveni-
ency informe me, what is looked for at
my hands, in that businesse; for I would
be loath to leave any thing in my house,
when I die, that were not absolutely
mine own. I have a servant, Roper, at
Pauls house, who will receive your com-
mandments, at all times. God blesse you
and your sonne, with the same blessings
which I begge for the children, and for
the person of Your poor friend and humble
servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To
288Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert
Karre, Gentleman of his Highnesses
Bed-chamber. Sir, II Amam come to that tendernesse of con-
science, that I need a pardon for mean-
ing to come to Newmarket in this weather.
If I had come, I must have asked you many
reall pardons, for the many importunities
that I should have used towards you. But
since I have divers errands thither, (except
I belie my self in that phrase, since it is all
one errand to promove mine own business,
and to receive your commands) I shall give
you but a short respit, since I shall follow
this paper within two dayes. And (that I
accuse my self, no farther then I am guilty)
the principall reason of my breaking the
appointment of waiting upon M. Rawlins,
was, that I understood the King was from
Newmarket; and for comming thither in
the Kings absence, I never heard of excuse; except
Persons of Honour.289
except when Butler sends a desperate Pati-
ent in a Consumption thither for good aire,
which is an ill errand now. Besides that I
could not well come till now, (for there
are very few dayes past, since I took Orders)
there can be no losse in my absence except
when I come, my Lord should have there-
by the lesse latitude, to procure the Kings
Letters to Cambridge. I beseech you there-
fore, take some occasion to refresh that
businesse to his Lordship, by presenting
my name, and purpose of comming very
shortly: and be content to receive me, who
have been ever your servant, to the additi-
on of 27 January.
Your poor Chaplaine
J. Donne. To
290Letters to severall To the Right Honourable the Lord Viscount
of Rochester. My most Honourable good Lord, AFterAfter I was grown to be your Lord-
ships, by all the titles that I could
thinke upon, it hath pleased your Lordship
to make another title to me, by buying me.
You may have many better bargaines in
your purchases, but never a better title then
to me, nor any thing which you may call
yours more absolutely and intirely. If there-
fore I appeare before your Lordship some-
times in these Letters of thankfulnesse, it
may be an excusable boldnesse, because they
are part of your evidences by which you
hold me. I know there may be degrees of
importunity even in thankfulnesse: but
your lordship is got above the danger of
suffering that from me, or my Letters, both
because my thankfulnesse cannot reach to
the benefits already received, and because
the favour of receiving my Letters is a new benefit.
Persons of Honour.291
benefit. And since good Divines have
made this argument against deniers of the
Resurrection, that it is easier for God to
recollect the Principles, and Elements of
our bodies, howsoever they be scattered,
then it was at first to create them of no-
thing, I cannot doubt, but that any di-
stractions or diversions in the ways of my
hopes, will be easier to your Lordship to
reunite, then it was to create them. Espe-
cially since you are already so near per-
fecting them, that if it agreed with your
Lordships purposes, I should never wish
other station, then such as might make me
still and onely Your Lordships
Most humble and devoted servant
J. Donne. To
292Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert
Karre. Sir, Lest you should thinke your selfe too
much beholding to your fortune, and
so relie too much upon her hereafter, I
am bold to tell you, that it is not onely
your good fortune that hath preserved you
from the importunity of my visits all this
time. For my ill fortune, which is stron-
ger, then any mans good fortune, hath
concurred in the plot to keep us asunder,
by infecting one in my house with the
Measels. But all that, is so safely over-
worne, that I dare, not onely desire to
put my selfe into your presence, but by
your mediation, a little farther. For,
esteeming my selfe, by so good a title, as
my Lords own words, to be under his
providence, and care of my fortune, I
make it the best part of my studies now how I
might ease his Lordship by finding out some-
Persons of Honour.293
something for my selfe. Which, because I
thinke I have done, as though I had done
him a service therein, I adventure to desire
to speake with him, which I beseech you
to advance, in addition to your many fa-
vours and benefits to me. And if you have
occasion to send any of your servants to
this town, to give me notice, what times
are fittest for me to waite, to injoy your fa-
vour herein. My businesse is of that nature,
that losse of time may make it much more
difficult, and may give courage to the ill
fortune of Your humble servant
J. Donne. To
294Letters to severall To your selfe. Sir, II Makemake shift to think that I promised you
this book of French Satyrs. If I did not, yet
it may have the grace of acceptation, both
as it is a very forward and early fruit, since
it comes before it was looked for, and as
it comes from a good root, which is an
importune desire to serve you. Which
since I saw from the beginning, that I
should never do in any great thing, it is
time to begin to try now, whether by of-
ten doing little services, I can come to-
wards any equivalence. For, except I can
make a rule of naturall philosophy, serve
also in morall offices, that as the strongest
bodies are made of the smallest particles, so
the strongest friendships may be made of
often iterating small officiousnesses, I see I
can be good for nothing. Except you know
reason to the contrary, I pray deliver this
Letter according to the addresse. It hath no businesse,
Persons of Honour.295
businesse, nor importunity; but as by our
Law, a man may be Felo de se, if he kill
himself, so I think a man may be Fur de se,
if he steale himself out of the memory of
them, which are content to harbour
him. And now I begin to be loath to be
lost, since I have afforded my selfe some
valuation and price, ever since I received
the stampe and impression of being Your very humble and affectionate servant
J. Donne. To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert Karre,
Gentleman of his Highnesses Bed chamber. Sir, II Havehave always your leave to use my liber-
ty, but now I must use my bondage.
Which is my necessity of obeying a pre-
contract laid upon me. I go to morrow to
Camberwell a mile beyond Southwark. But from
296Letters to severall
from this town goes with me my brother
Sir Tho. Grimes and his Lady, and I with
them. There we dine well enough I war-
rant you, with his father-in-law, Sir Tho.
Hunt. If I keep my whole promise, I shall
Preach both forenoon and afternoon. But
I will obey your commandments for my
return. If you cannot be there by 10, do
not put your selfe upon the way: for, Sir,
you have done me more honour, then I can
be worthy of, in missing me so diligently.
I can hope to hear M. Moulin again: or ru-
minate what I have heretofore heard. The
onely misse that I shall have is of the ho-
nour of waiting upon you; which is some-
what recompensed, if thereby you take
occassion of not putting not your self to that
pain, to be more assured of the inabilities
of Your unworthy servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.297 To the Honourable Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. SIR, II Soughtsought you yesterday with a purpose
of accomplishing my health, by the
honour of kissing your hands. But I finde
by my going abroad, that as the first Chri-
stians were forced to admit some Jewish
Ceremonies, onely to burie the Synagogue
with honour, so my Feaver will have so
much reverence and respect, as that I must
keep sometimes at home. I must there-
fore be bold to put you to the pain of con-
sidering me. If therefore my Lord upon
your deliverie of my last Letter, said no-
thing to you of the purpose thereof; let me
tell you now, that it was, that in obedience
of his commandment, to acquaint him
with any thing which might advantage
me, I was bold to present that which I
heard, which was that Sir D. Carlton was likely
298Letters to severall
likely to bee removed from Venice, to the
States; of which if my Lord said nothing
to you, I beseech you adde thus much to
your many other Favours, to intreate my
Lord at his best commodity, to afford mee
the favour of speaking with him. But if
hee have already opened himselfe so farre
to you, as that you may take knowledge
thereof to him, then you may ease him of
that trouble of giving mee an Audience,
by troubling your selfe thus much more,
as to tell him in my behalfe, and from
mee, that though Sir D. Carlton bee not
removed, yet that place with the States
lying open, there is a faire field of exer-
cising his favour towards mee, and of con-
stituting a Fortune to mee, and (that
which is more) of a meanes for mee to
doe him particular services. And Sir, as
I doe throughly submit the end and effect
of all Projects to his Lordships will, so
doe I this beginning thereof, to your
Advice and Counsell, if you thinke
mee capable of it: as, for your owne sake,
Persons of Honour.299
sake, I beseech you to doe, since you have
admitted me for Your humble servant
J. Donne. To the Honoured Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. Sir, II Amendamend to no purpose, nor have any
use of this inchoation of health, which
I finde, except I preserve my roome, and
station in you. I beginne to bee past
hope of dying: And I feele that a little
ragge of Monte Magor, which I read last
time I was in your Chamber, hath
wrought prophetically upon mee, which
is, that Death came so fast towards mee,
that the over-joy of that recovered mee.
Sir, I measure not my health by my ap-
petite, but onely by my abilitie to come
to kisse your hands: which since I can-
not hope in the compasse of a few dayes, I be-
300Letters to severall
I beseech you pardon mee both these in-
trusions of this Letter, and of that with-
in it. And though Schoole-men dis-
pute, whether a married man dying,
and being by Miracle raised again, must
bee remarried; yet let your Friendship,
(which is a Nobler learning) bee con-
tent to admit mee, after this Resurrecti-
on, to bee still that which I was before,
and shall ever continue, 20. Mar.
Your most humble and thankfull
Servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.301 To the Honourable Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. Sir, WHenWhen I was almost at Court, I met
the Princes Coach: I think I o-
beyed your purposes best therefore, in
comming hither. I am sure I provided
best for my selfe thereby; since my best de-
gree of understanding is to bee governed
by you. I beseech you give mee an assig-
nation where I may wait upon you at your
commoditie this Evening. Till the per-
formance of which commandment from
you, I rest here in the red Lion. Your very thankfull and affectionate
Servant
J. Donne. To
302Letters to severall To the Honourable Knight, Sir Robert Karre. Sir, II Waswas loth to bee the onely man who
should have no part in this great Festi-
vall; I thought therefore to celebrate
that well, by spending some part of it in
your company. This made mee seek you
againe this after noone, though I were
guilty to my selfe of having done so every
day since your comming. I confesse such
an importunity is worthy to be punished
with such a missing; yet, because it is the
likeliest reparation of my Fortunes to hope
upon Reversions, I would be glad of that
Title in you: that, after solemnities, and
businesses, and pleasures be passed over, my
time may come, and you may afford some
of your last leisures to 4 Novemb.
Your affectionate and humble servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.303 To the Honourable Knight, Sir
Robert Karre. Sir, YOurYourYour mans haste gives me the advan-
tage, that I am excusable in a short
Letter, else I should not pardon it to my
selfe. I shall obey your commandment of
comming so neare you upon Michaelmas
day, as by a Message to aske you whether
that or the next morning bee the fittest to
sollicite your further Favour. You un-
derstand all Vertue so well, as you may be
pleased to call to minde what thankeful-
nesse and services are due to you from me,
and beleeve them all to bee expressed in
this ragge of Paper, which gives you new
assurance, that I am ever Your most humble servant
J. Donne. To
304Letters to severall To your selfe. Sir, IFIf I shall never be able to do you any reall
service, yet you may make this profit of
me, that you be hereafter more cautelous
in receiving into your knowledge, per-
sons so uselesse, and importune. But be-
fore you come to so perfect a knowledge of
me, as to abandon me, go forward in
your favours to me, so farre, as to
deliver this Letter according to the addresse. I
think I should not come nearer his presence
then by a Letter: and I am sure, I would
come no other way, but by you. Be you
therefore pleased, by these noble favours to
me, to continue in me the comfort which
I have in being Drury house, 23 Sept.
Your very humble and thankfull servant
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.305 To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre. Sir, A Fewfew hours after I had the honour of
your Letter, I had another from my
Lord of Bath and Wells, commanding
from the King a Copy of my Sermon. I
am in preparations of that, with diligence,
yet this morning I waited upon his Lord-
ship, and laid up in him this truth, that of
the B. of Canterburies Sermon, to this hour,
I never heard syllable, nor what way, nor
upon what points he went: And for mine,
it was put into that very order, in which
I delivered it, more then two moneths
since. Freely to you I say, I would I were
a little more guilty: Onely mine innocency
makes me afraid. I hoped for the Kings
approbation heretofore in many of my Ser-
mons; and I have had it. But yesterday I
came very near looking for thanks; for, in
my life, I was never in any one peece, so
studious of his service. Therefore, excepti-
ons
306Letters to severall ons being taken, and displeasure kindled
at this, I am afraid, it was rather brought
thither, then met there. If you know any
more, fit for me, (because I hold that unfit
for me, to appear in my Masters sight, as
long as this cloud hangs, and therefore, this
day forbear my ordinary waitings) I be-
seech you to intimate it to Your very humble and very thankfull servant
J. Donne. To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre,
at Court. Sir, II Humblyhumbly thanke you, for this continu-
ing me in your memory, and enlarging
me so far, as to the memory of my Sove-
raign, and (I hope) my Master. My Tenets
are always, for the preservation of the Re-
ligion
Persons of Honour.307 ligion I was born in, and the peace of the
State, and the rectifying of the Conscience;
in these I shall walke, and as I have from
you a new seal thereof, in this Letter, so I
had ever evidence in mine own observati-
on, that these ways were truly, as they are
justly, acceptable in his Majesties eare. Our
blessed Saviour multiply unto him all bles-
sings; Amen. Your very true and intire servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre,
at Court. Sir, II Waswas this morning at your door, some-
what early; and I am put into such a
distaste of my last Sermon, as that I dare
not practise any part of it, and therefore
though I said then, that we are bound to speake
308Letters to severall
speake aloud, though we awaken men,
and make them froward, yet after two or
three modest knocks at the door, I went
away. Yet I understood after, the King
was gone abroad, and thought you might
be gone with him. I came to give you an
account of that, which this does as well.
I have now put into my Lord of Bath and
Wells hands the Sermon that faithfully exscrci-
bed. I beseech you be pleased to hearken far-
ther after it; I am still upon my jealousie, that
the King brought thither some disaffecti-
on towards me, grounded upon some o-
ther demerit of mine, and took it not from
the Sermon. For, as Card. Cusanus writ a
Book Cribratio Alchorani, I have cribated,
and re-cribrated, and post-cribrated the Ser-
mon, and must necessarily say, the King
who hath let fall his eye upon some of my
Poems, never saw, of mine, a hand, or an
eye, or an affection, set down with so much
study, and diligence, and labour of syllables,
as in this Sermon I expressed those two
points, which I take so much to conduce to
Persons of Honour.309
to his service, the imprinting of persuasi-
bility and obedience in the subject, And
the breaking of the bed of whispers, by
casting in a bone, of making them suspect
and distrust one another. I remember I
heard the old King say of a good Sermon,
that he thought the Preacher never had
thought of his Sermon, till he spoke it; it
seemed to him negligently and extemporal-
ly spoken. And I knew that he had weigh-
ed every syllable, for halfe a year before,
which made me conclude, that the King
had before, some prejudice upon him. So,
the best of my hope is, that some over bold
allusions, or expressions in the way, might.
divert his Majesty, from vouchsafing to ob-
serve the frame, and purpose of the Sermon.
When he sees the generall scope, I hope his
goodnesse will pardon collaterall escapes. I
intreated the B. to aske his Majesty, whe-
ther his displeasure extended so farre, as that
I should forbear waiting, and appearing in
his presence; and I had a return, that I
might come. Till I had that, I would not offer
310Letters to severall
offer to put my self under your roof. To
day I come, for that purpose, to say prayers.
And if, in any degree, my health suffer it, I
shall do so, to morrow. If any thing fall in-
to your observation before that, (because
the B. is likely to speake to the King of it,
perchance, this night) if it amount to
such an increase of displeasure, as that it
might be unfit for me to appear, I beseech
you afford me the knowledge. Otherwise,
I am likely to inquire of you personally, to
morrow before nine in the morning, and
to put into your presence then Your very humble and very true, and
very honest servant to God
and the King and you
J. Donne I writ yesterday to my L. Duke, by my
L. Carlisle, who assured me of a gracious ac-
ceptation of my putting my self in his pro-
tection. To
Persons of Honour.311 To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre,
at Court, Sir, IFIf I should refuse the liberty which you
enlarge to me, of eating in your cham-
ber, you might suspect that I reserved it for
greater boldnesses, and would not spend
it in this. But, in good faith, I do not eat
before, nor can after, till I have been at
home; so much hath my this years debi-
lity disabled me, even for receiving favours.
After the Sermon, I will steal into my
Coach home, and pray that my good pur-
pose may be well accepted, and my defects
graciously pardoned. Amen. Yours intirely
J. Donne. I will be at your chamber at one after noon. To
312Letters to severall To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre,
at Court. Sir, I Pursued my ambition of having the ho-
nour to kisse your hands some where,
so farre, as to inform my self occasional-
ly of my great neighbour. And I perceive
he is under an inundation of uncertain
commers, which he cannot devest, ex-
cept as I had your leave, to speake plain to
him. A second inconvenience is, that he is
so deafe, that we must speake to the whole
house, if we will speake to him. And a
third is, that I am in a riddling, rather
a juggling indisposition, fast and loose,
and therefore dare not stirre farre. Yet SIR,
I am not thereby unfit to receive the honor
of seeing you here, if greater businesse have
not overcome, or worn out, your for-
mer inclinablenesse to come into these
quarters. If you shall be pleased to say to
my man, that you will make as though you
Persons of Honour.313
you dined with me to day, and come, if your
businesse require your going to his Lord-
ship, you may dine with him, after you
have fasted with me. To day, or any day,
which may be more yours, I aske it of
you with all earnestnesse, on this side im-
portunity, which is the detestation of Your humblest and thankfullest servant
J. Donne. To the Right Honourable Sir Robert Karre,
at Court. Sir, THisThis morning I have received a signi-
fication from my Lord Chamber-
laine, that his Majesty hath commanded
to morrows Sermon at S. James; And that
it is in the after-noon; (for, into my
mouth there must not enter the word, after-
dinner, because that day there enters no dinner
314Letters to severall
dinner into my mouth.) Towards the
time of the service, I aske your leave, that I
may hide my selfe in your out-chamber.
Or if businesse, or privatenesse, or compa-
ny make that inconvenient, that you will
be pleased to assigne some servant of yours
to shew me the Closet, when I come to
your chamber. I have no other way there,
but you; which I say not, as though I had
not assurance enough therein, but because
you have too much trouble thereby; nor I
have no other end there, then the Pulpit:
you are my station, and that my exaltation;
And in both, I shall ever endevour, to keep
you from being sorry for having thought
well of, or being ashamed of having testi-
fied well for Your poor and very true Servant in Chr. Jes.
J. Donne. To
Persons of Honour.315 To the Honourable Knight Sir Robert Karre,
at Court. Sir, II Havehave obeyed the formes of our Church
of Pauls so much, as to have been a so-
lemn Christmas man, and tryed conclusi-
ons upon my selfe, how I could sit out the
siege of new faces, every dinner. So that I
have not seen the B. in some weeks. And
I know not whether he be in case, to afford
that privacy, which you justly desire. This
day I am in my bondage of entertaining.
Suppers I presume, are inconvenient to you.
But this evening I will spie upon the B. and
give you an account to morrow morning
of his disposition; when, if he cannot be
intire to you, since you are gone so farre
downwards in your favours to me, be plea-
sed to pursue your humiliation so farre as
to chuse your day, and either to suffer the
solitude of this place, or to change it, by
such company, as shall waite upon you, and
316Letters to severall
and come as a visitor and overseer of this
Hospitall of mine, and dine or sup at this
miserable chezmey. Your humble and thankfullest servant
J. Donne.
4 Jan. 1626. To my Noble friend Mris Cokain at
Ashburne. My noblest sister, BUtBut that it is sweetned by your
command, nothing could trouble me
more, then to write of my self. Yet, if I
would have it known, I must write it my
self; for, I neither tell children, nor servants,
my state. I have never good temper, nor
good pulse, nor good appetite, nor good
sleep. Yet, I have so much leasure to recol-
lect my self, as that I can thinke I have been
long thus, or often thus. I am not alive, because
Persons of Honour.317
because I have not had enough upon me to
kill me, but because it pleases God to passe
me through many infirmities before he
take me either by those particular remem-
brances, to bring me to particular repen-
tances, or by them to give me hope of his
particular mercies in heaven. Therefore
have I been more affected with Coughs in
vehemence, more with deafenesse, more
with toothach, more with the vurbah, then
heretofore. All this mellows me for hea-
ven, and so ferments me in this world, as I
shall need no long concoction in the grave,
but hasten to the resurrection. Not onely
to be nearer that grave, but to be nearer to
the service of the Church, as long as I shall
be able to do any, I purpose, God willing,
to be at London, within a fortnight after your
receit of this, as well because I am under
the obligation of preaching at Pauls upon
Candlemas day, as because I know nothing
to the contrary, but that I may be called to
Court, for Lent service; and my witnesse
is in heaven, that I never left out S. Dunstans, when
318Letters to severall &c.
when I was able to do them that service;
nor will now; though they that know the
state of that Church well, know that I am
not so bound, as the world thinks, to preach
there; for, I make not a shilling profit of
S. Dunstans as a Church man, but as my L.
of Dorset gave me the lease of the Impropri-
ation, for a certain rent, and a higher rent,
the my predecessor had it at. This I am fain
to say often, because they that know it not,
have defamed me, of a defectiveness to-
wards that Church; and even that mista-
king of theirs I ever have, and ever shall en-
devour to rectifie, by as often preaching
there, as my condition of body will admit.
All our company here is well, but not at
home now, when I write; for, lest I should
not have another return to London, before
the day of your Carrier, I write this, and rest 15 Jan. 1630.
Abrey-hatch.
Your very affectionate servant,
and friend, and brother,
J. Donne.
THE END.